MIDDLESBROUGH head coach Aitor Karanka insists he wouldn’t have it any other way, despite facing several selection dilemmas this weekend.

Boro return to action against Huddersfield Town following the international break in what will be the first game since Karanka completed his summer transfer business with the captures of Jelle Vossen, Yanic Wildschut and Jamal Blackman.

The head coach brought in no fewer than 12 players during the summer window and now has a squad consisting of two players for each position.

While the Spaniard has plenty of options to choose from across the park, he will be left with difficult decisions to make when it comes to his starting XI at the John Smith’s Stadium.

The goalkeeper, central defence and up front are three areas Karanka will preside over in particular, but given the Championship’s gruelling schedule, the Boro boss insists he is happy to have such problems.

“It is the best thing for me to have 22-23 players and all of them capable of playing in every game,” said Karanka, whose only absentee is James Husband because of a groin problem.

“I am the manager and I have to choose the players. I have a very big problem, but I prefer to have this problem than to arrive to my office tomorrow and say “who have I got to play tomorrow?”

“We have to be careful with them (Vossen and Wildschut) and all the new players who have come in,”

“Most of them didn’t play in pre-season so we have to be careful when it comes to giving them time on the pitch. We need to take time to get everyone fit and up to speed.

“I don’t know if they will play yet. They will both be in the squad, but I need to think very hard on my team.”

Vossen and Wildschut will be involved in West Yorkshire, but Karanka confirmed Blackman will not be in the team, despite suggestions he could be thrown straight in.

The on loan Chelsea keeper is likely to feature over the coming weeks, but having been on international duty with England’s Under-21s, Karanka believes it would be unfair to put him straight in the team.

He said: “I don’t think (Jamal will make his debut). He just arrived today (Thursday) and I don’t like to put in players that haven’t trained with the team.

“I have spoken to members of staff at Chelsea and they told me he is a very good player and he has a very good future.

“The keeper situation has changed. At the last moment we had the chance to send Jason on loan and I think it’s the best thing for everyone. He needs to play and I need to watch him. In January we will see.

“I think he (Blackman) can play. He has come from the Chelsea academy and has been involved with the under-21 national team.

“I need to think about everything.”

Blackman’s arrival means Tomas Mejias and Dimi Konstantopoulos will be under pressure to impress.

Mejias has started the season in unconvincing fashion and once Blackman has settled he is expected to start.

That means Konstantopoulos could find himself third choice, despite finishing last season in great form, but Karanka insists the Greek stopper does still feature in his plans.

“Dimi is the kind of player that impressed me the most when I first arrived. With me, he has been in a lot of situations,” the Boro boss said.

“He was third or fourth choice when I arrived, then Jason was injured or suspended and he was the second.

“We bought in Shay Given, but Dimi kept working with the same intensity and after he won his position he finished the season very well.

“This season I took the decision to put Tomas in goal, but he has kept working the same way and I am going to go to my desk today and tomorrow and try to put the best keeper in goal.”