MIDDLESBROUGH manager Gareth Southgate has revealed that he is homing in on a couple of loan signings before tomorrow's Championship game against Ipswich Town at the Riverside (kick-off 3pm).

Elvin King

MIDDLESBROUGH manager Gareth Southgate has revealed that he is homing in on a couple of loan signings before tomorrow's Championship game against Ipswich Town at the Riverside (kick-off 3pm).

Blues central defender Gareth McAuley has been linked with a move to the north east - and to Sheffield United as well - but Southgate has gone out of his way to deny reports that he made a �1million bid for the Northern Ireland international just prior to the closing of the transfer window on September 1.

Southgate said: “There's a good chance we could have someone in for Saturday, although whether it will be in time for him to start remains to be seen."

Hull striker Caleb Folan is reported to be close to signing for Southgate after Middlesbrough beat off interest from neighbours Newcastle.

Robert Huth's departure to Stoke and a six-month injury lay-off for Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz have led to Southgate seeking to add to his squad, but a new striker remains his main priority.

Pogatetz is pencilled in to play a reserve game next week, and is thought to be around two weeks away from a first-team return after recovering from a knee operation.

McAuley returned to Portman Road from World Cup qualifying duty yesterday, and is expected to be in the Blues squad as they look to gain their first league win of the season tomorrow.

Ipswich manager Roy Keane will listen to loan enquiries about most of his players as he looks to build a squad good enough to challenge for promotion to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough will give them a test of how they fare in this respect even though the north eastern-based outfit have had to off-load a number of their better players since relegation at the end of last term.

Town won at the Riverside in a Premier League fixture on Easter Monday 2001 thanks to a couple of goals from Alun Armstrong and the

following year they gained a

creditable 0-0 draw when fighting a backs-to-the-wall battle to try and avoid relegation.

Pablo Counago went close with a good chance that if he had converted would have effectively saved the Blues from a financially ruining drop of out of the top flight.

England international Stewart Downing has moved on to Aston Villa but he has not been seriously missed as former Town target Adam Johnson has caught the eye with a series of good left-sided displays culminating in five goals.

Former Colchester player Mark Yeates has been adding his pace down the right side with Gary O'Neil set to be back in the squad tomorrow after a double hernia operation.