AITOR KARANKA has warned Middlesbrough fans not to expect any big deals before the end of the transfer window – even if he is in the market for a new midfielder.

The Boro head coach has a hole in his squad following the decision to send Milos Veljkovic back to Tottenham and is considering options to come in on loan.

But Karanka, who will have Adam Clayton back in the centre of the pitch to face Huddersfield tomorrow after suspension, has ruled out chairman Steve Gibson increasing his investment in the squad this month.

The Spaniard is already satisfied with the squad he has shaped and feels they are in a strong position to stay with the promotion chasers, even if the addition of one extra midfielder will help.

“I don’t think in January you can find a very good player to pay money for. The good players are playing for their clubs,” said Karanka. “The ones that can come are not playing, so I think we are thinking about the same way, a loan. We are not looking to spend a lot of money on a new player. We will look for the best available player to help us.”

Twelve months ago he worked his way through his first transfer window in frontline management and found it frustrating, having inherited Tony Mowbray’s squad from just a few months earlier.

Over the summer, though, he made the sort of adjustments that he had hoped for and Middlesbrough have been turned in to a team capable of finishing in the Championship’s top two. He is far more relaxed this time around than he was during the last winter window.

“Nothing compares to last January,” he said. “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.”

Clayton was one of many summer recruits. His £1.5m arrival from Huddersfield, who he will face at the Riverside tomorrow, has proven to be an excellent piece of business. He has formed a key partnership with Grant Leadbitter in the middle.

Karanka thinks Clayton, a former Manchester City academy player, has the ingredients to be a success story at a higher level – something he was quick to realise when he first set eyes on him.

“Clayton is a player I had watched for 10-15 minutes for Huddersfield last season and I told the people next to me that Clayton is a player I like a lot,” said Karanka.

“I knew he was a very good player. I could sense his character in those minutes. They showed me a lot about him. He is a player, a leader, everything on the pitch you want.

“Now he is doing really well for me. He has improved the team and with him on the pitch we are very comfortable.

“When I sign players I try to sign the best players we can. At this moment a lot of those can play in the Premier League. When I sign someone I think they will be the best for the team, I think about the person, not the division. I am improving the team.

“We are working to bring in another midfielder because we just have Adam, Grant and Deano. I like to have two players for every position. We need one more in midfield. We are working. We have players in mind but nothing clear.”

Middlesbrough could yet lose Emmanuel Ledesma this month. The Argentine winger, who spent time on loan at Rotherham, has been the subject of an offer from the Millers, which has been knocked back. Karanka said: “If Manu wants to leave ... but today he prefers to be here.”

Ryan Fredericks is still a couple of weeks away from returning to first team action. He has missed the last six games with a thigh problem.