Middlesbrough's team spirit will help new signings settle quickly, insists captain Jonny Howson

Jonny Howson believes impending Middlesbrough signings will find integrating into the club really easy because of the close-knit group on Teesside. Boro continue to push for new signings in the summer transfer window as Chris Wilder aims for a promotion push in the upcoming season.

So far they've made three new signings and are close to announcing a fourth with Zack Steffen to join on loan from Manchester City. For the three new faces so far, last week provided an excellent opportunity for them to really get to know their new team-mates as the players spent the week at close quarters with one another while training out in Portugal.

Despite the disappointing end to the trip as they lost 3-0 to Braga, Howson still believes it was a really useful trip that saw the team spirit and togetherness among the players grow even stronger.

Portugal trip was productive, despite the disappointing end

He said at the end of the week: “It’s been a really good week and I think it’s always good to come away with a few young players and a few young loads have come with us too. It’s been good to get away, in a new environment and spend a lot more time with each other.

"You see characters come out more and get to know each other a bit better and do a bit of socialising. It’s particularly beneficial for the new lads in the group and getting to know them a lot better and that can only benefit us.”

Of course, in an ideal world Boro would have had more than just the three new signings to integrate into the group before the new season, which kicks off in less than a fortnight's time. But in a market that has been slow so far, Boro are far from alone in taking a patient strategy in the belief that better players are going to become available