NEIL WARNOCK is “bitterly disappointed” with Middlesbrough’s transfer window and admits he has never experienced one like it.
The 71-year-old saved the Teessiders from relegation after taking over with eight games to go last season and is preparing for tonight’s Championship kick-off at Watford.
Yesterday he secured experienced goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on a season-long loan deal from Fulham to add to the free transfer arrival of Grant Hall from QPR earlier in the summer.
But Warnock says he expected to have at least four or five new faces on board before the trip to Vicarage Road but has so far failed to land the two strikers and midfielder he wants.
However, despite the lack of new arrivals to bolster his depleted squad, the veteran remains upbeat about getting extra bodies in to boost Boro’s promotion hopes before the October deadline.
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Warnock said: “I did expect us to have four or five players by now if I’m honest when I took over at the start of the season, but for one reason or another, it’s not been possible.
“I am bitterly disappointed at that, but we’ve just got to get on with it.
“I’m happy with the lads we do have, but it’s clear we need to get players in.
“You look at our bench and it’s very fragile at the minute. There’s no point kidding ourselves about that.
“But we know what we have to do and just for one reason or another we’ve not been able to get them in.
“I’ve spoken to quite a number of players over the past few weeks and we’ve just not been able to get them over the line.
“We’ve just got to keep positive, and also try and get the best out of what I’ve got. They’re a good group and this will be a great challenge for us.”
Due to the unique landscape created by the financial impact of the Covid outbreak, Warnock concedes that clubs, including Boro, must be sensible in the market.
Although he admitted he has found it the most difficult one of his long career.
Warnock, who has named Britt Assombalonga as new club captain, said: “I think there’s a mixture of quite a few things not helping us.
“We’ve lost ten players since Covid. The reality is, we escaped relegation on the last day of the season and the squad is very, very thin and we’ve got to get players in.
“We are all aware of that. I’ve never seen a market so difficult, if I’m honest. We just have to remain positive and do the best we can.
“We’ve been close to three of four over the summer and for one reason or another we’ve just not got them over the line.
“To go for four or five players and not get any of them over the line, that’s something that’s never happened before for me.
“I think a lot of players are maybe still expecting what was on the table 12 months ago. It’s a different ball game now because of this pandemic.
“But we haven’t been able to get deals over the line for various reasons.
“We’re all disappointed – everybody at the club – that we’ve not got more bodies in. But that’s life at the moment. You’ve just got to carry on.
“I always believed we needed four or five new players if we were to get into the top areas of the league, and I’m still optimistic we can bring some in.”
Former Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo, now a free agent, is believed to be heading to the North East to finalise a move over the coming days.
And Wigan midfielder Sam Morsy is another of Warnock’s top targets.
Warnock added: “I’ve been asked about 15 players since the start of the summer who we’ve supposedly been close to getting over the line.
“So until I actually see someone sign on the dotted line I can only be optimistic.”
