MIDDLESBROUGH continue to spin several plates ahead of what promises to be a busy final few days to the January transfer window on Teesside.

With Emmanuel Latte Lath set to complete his £22.5m move to Atlanta United, signing a striker is the obvious priority in the next 72 hours, but Boro's recruitment team are calm and confident having spent the last couple of months planning for the possibility of the Ivorian's exit.

Three to four potential targets are still very much live, with Boro having carried out extensive groundwork to ensure they were ready to act if - as is now set to be the case - Latte Lath left this month.

Slovan Bratislava's David Strelec, who played against Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week, is one of the strikers who has been under consideration. Reports at the weekend claimed he'd be keen on the move.

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But one player who isn't in Boro's thinking this month is Cameron Archer. Leeds United are keen on Archer but have had a loan enquiry knocked back, with Southampton boss Ivan Juric saying on Friday morning: "I don't think something will happen. He will stay with us and we will work with him."

Regardless, Archer wasn't on Boro's radar this month. He's on a substantial wage at Southampton and if the striker did leave on loan this month, Saints would want his salary covered. Neither was Chuba Akpom, who has been linked with Sunderland but is now set to sign for Lille on an initial loan, which the French club will have an option to make permanent in the summer.

Another player who has been linked in the last 24 hours is Will Lankshear, who looks set to leave Tottenham on loan, but he's not currently under consideration at Boro. Cardiff City and West Brom are both keen on the 19-year-old.

Boro will continue to assess their options in midfield but Glen Kamara won't be moving to the Riverside. As reported earlier this week, that one was off the table when interest from Saudi Arabia emerged and the former Leeds man is now set to sign for Al Shabab.

Boro are also weighing up their situation at right-back amid interest in Anfernee Dijksteel. Millwall aren't the only club to have enquired about a loan move for the defender, and Boro would likely sanction a deal providing they can sign a replacement. Luke Ayling is the only other fit right back currently on the club's books.

Millwall and Boro have also held talks over a permanent move for Josh Coburn, who has spent the first half of the season on loan at the Den.