AITOR KARANKA wants to see further progress on the transfer front this week after a frustrating weekend when the Middlesbrough head coach launched into a remarkable attack on the club’s fans.

Sources close to Hull City claim that Boro have had an offer believed to be around £6m, rising to £8m, rejected for Scotland international Robert Snodgrass and the Tigers expect fresh offers from interested clubs.

Middlesbrough are also still in the hunt for Stoke City’s Bojan Krkic, while suggestions yesterday claimed that the Teessiders have joined the battle to bring Leipzig’s £13m winger Oliver Burke back to English football.

The former Nottingham Forest teenager has a number of Premier League clubs interested in bringing him back after failing to hold down a first team place in Germany.

And with eight days remaining of this month’s transfer window there is still uncertainty hanging over the likes of Gaston Ramirez and Jordan Rhodes, so it is shaping up to be a crucial period before Middlesbrough’s next Premier League fixture with West Brom.

Before conceding three goals in the defeat to West Ham on Saturday, Karanka has successfully made his team hard to beat but is searching for a way for his players to score more goals.

He was angered by the fans’ reaction to watching Middlesbrough lose 3-1 to the Hammers on Saturday, even though supporters have taken to social media over the weekend to defend themselves in large numbers.

Karanka stunned the media suite at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday when he walked in and turned on the fans, particularly after the chants of ‘attack, attack, attack’ with 12 minutes remaining when his side were trailing 2-1.

He said: “We didn’t play in the way we have to and in the way we need to and it was because the atmosphere was awful today. They demanded a lot from the players to play in a certain way. Playing that way we didn’t create one chance. If you look at where we were this season and two seasons ago these players deserve more respect.”

Karanka, whose side are sitting four points above the relegation zone, responded with a ‘yes’ when he was asked if fans were expecting too much from a team which was promoted last May.

And, not for the first time during his reign, he was keen to remind the Middlesbrough followers of where the club where when he took over a little more than three years ago.

At that stage they were closer to the relegation zone in the Championship than the play-offs and now he is trying to steer the team up towards mid-table in the Premier League.

Karanka said: “When how many thousands of fans at the end are asking for long balls you have to play long balls. It's a style we don't know and we didn't play it well.

“It's a thing we have to fix because while I'm here we're not going to play long ball. Two years ago the club was going to League One they have short memories. They're leaving the stadium with five minutes to go when three years ago the club was going to League One. 

“The fans knew this season was going to be tough but they mustn't forget where the club was two-three-four-five seasons ago.”

Whether Karanka was right or wrong to turn the focus on the fans, the fact remains that Middlesbrough have won just one of their last eight league games after losing to West Ham.

Andy Carroll scored twice to put West Ham up at the break even though Cristhian Stuani did find the net too. The points were secured in stoppage-time when Jonathan Calleri’s effort deflected off Adam Clayton.

Karanka was keen not to blame his players, despite knowing that defensively his usually dependable team were not at their best.

He said: "It was a good game to watch but no good for us so I'm really proud of the players because once again they've given me their best and we have to keep performing like this.

"When you concede a set piece there are things that you can fix, we've watched the videos to see how good Carroll is in the air but it's not a time to blame anyone. We win as a team and we lose as a team.

"The first header was a very good goal. They didn't have Dimitri Payet but with Carroll they are better. He is a really good player and we knew before the game we tried to stop him but it was impossible.”