'We were considering signing Fran Merida', admits Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka was considering handing ex-Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida a short-term Boro contract - but any deal is now dead in the water.

Reports emerged earlier this week that the Spanish free agent was training at Rockliffe Park, but Boro chiefs told The Gazette on Tuesday nothing would be happening with regard to a contract offer.

The 24-year-old is well-known to Karanka and was a member of the Spain Under-20 team that also included future Boro signings Tomas Mejias, Emilio Nsue and Kike Garcia.

As a result, Karanka said he was happy to invite the Barcelona-born midfielder in to train with the team, with the view to becoming a back-up squad player if Albert Adomah had joined Emilio Nsue at the African Cup of Nations.

“Yes he was training with us because I know him,” Karanka said.

“He’s a good player but when I said yes to him we expected Albert (Adomah) to be away for a month in the African Cup of Nations, we expected Emilio (Nsue) for another two or three weeks and we didn’t have (Tomas) Kalas.

“At that moment we maybe were thinking of signing him but with Albert here, Tomas here and Emilio back in two or three weeks, we felt it wasn’t necessary.”

Boro are set to delve in the January transfer market to bring in a new midfielder, after Milos Veljkovic returned to Tottenham yesterday.

Action Images / Paul Burrows

It was Karanka’s decision to send the versatile Serbian back to North London, with Spurs keen for him to remain on Teesside.

But the Spaniard felt it wasn’t good for the 19-year-old’s development, and will again look to utilise the loan market to his advantage this month.

Karanka admitted a permanent move for a midfielder is unlikely this month, with clubs reluctant to sell their prized assets half way through the season.

“I don’t think in January you can find a very good player to pay money for. The good players are playing,” Karanka said.

“The ones that can come are not playing, so i think we are thinking about the same way. We are not looking to spend a lot of money on a new player. We will look for the best available player.

“Nothing compares to last January. Last year we had to build a squad, this time the squad is 100 per cent built except for a midfielder.

“The squad is totally different now to what I had one year ago.

“I like to have two players for every position (so) we need one more in midfield. We have players in mind.”