Middlesbrough recruitment drive is 'full steam ahead' as Wilder names positions he wants to fill

With things finally getting moving again on the transfer front at Middlesbrough, Chris Wilder says it's 'full steam ahead' as he looks to strengthen his squad before the start of the new season. Boro kick-off their Championship campaign in two weeks time against West Brom and the boss is hopeful they can have a few deals boxed off by then.

Zack Steffen will soon become the fourth signing of the summer, joining on loan from Manchester City as soon as his medical is cleared. But it was easy for all to see in Boro's 3-0 defeat to Braga in Portugal - even as the scoreline was perhaps harsh - that new signings are needed.

There has finally been more movement in the market overall after a bit of a dry patch in recent weeks. As well as loaning Martin Payero to Boca Juniors, the club have also finally agreed a fee with Tottenham for Djed Spence. And with the season fast approaching, Wilder says the Boro recruitment drive has to be full steam ahead now.

Chris Wilder believes Zack Steffen is a coup signing for Boro

He told Teesside Live: “I’m confident that we will add players over the next week to ten days because we have to. The season starts in two weeks' time. We all know that and we will do, and we will have better players through the door at the club and they will make us stronger.

“Josh Coburn isn’t going to play 46 games in the Championship for us. We all know that - I know that, the owner knows that, Kieran [Scott] knows that and Neil [Bausor] knows that. We know we’ve got to go and get players in because we’ve only got 13 or 14 senior players. We get on with it, and we all appreciate the situation and what’s going off, but it’s full steam ahead now.

"It’s going to be a big week now for us to bring players in to bolster