Middlesbrough are continuing to push to strengthen their squad before the end of the transfer window, though some of their business will depend on whether Emmanuel Latte Lath leaves.

The striker is the subject of a big bid from MLS side Atlanta United that was hoped would prompt Premier League clubs with interest to join a bidding war. That has not transpired thus far, though Boro are braced for the potential with just 12 days remaining in the window.

If such offers don't come in, it remains to be seen whether the striker, who continues to prove his dedication and commitment to Boro on the pitch, will make the switch to the MLS. And the decision is likely to impact what incoming business Boro can or cannot do.

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Having sold Isaiah Jones already this month, and with potential to also earn money selling Josh Coburn to Millwall permanently, Boro will have some funds to play with. They are pushing hard to complete a deal with Bournemouth to sign goalkeeper Mark Travers on loan, and remain in talks with Hull City to try and resolve the Ryan Giles saga and have him return to the Riverside. After his shock recall on Tuesday, they will also continue talks with Ipswich about George Edmundson, but it remains to be seen if they'd look elsewhere if a deal proved unviable.

Boro would also like to sign a central midfielder and a forward this month, while a new striker would also be signed if Latte Lath left. Glen Kamara and Morgan Whittaker are targets for the two former roles, both are likely to rest on a Latte Lath sale, given the finances involved in such deals. Whittaker is a key player at Plymouth Argyle and wanted by Burnley too. Kamara's move would be more likely to be a loan, but Boro would have to subsidise a large portion of his high wage at Rennes. Boro are believed to have a few alternative targets for each position, but without a Latte Lath sale, it’s unclear how far they can stretch the budget.

Speaking on Boro's transfer progress, head coach Michael Carrick said this week: “We’re always pushing to do something and looking to see where we can add and improve the group. We’re doing that, it’s a constant thing, and sometimes it can chop and change from day to day in terms of what can be done.

"But it certainly doesn’t change the idea of what we’re trying to do and where we want to get to. We’re certainly pushing for things to happen. But we’ll have to wait and see what comes of it.”

It's an ever-changing landscape with Boro putting as much legwork as possible into potential deals in the event of a big departure. They were hoping to start making progress in the second half of this week on the deals that won't require a big sale to complete.

On the makeup of the Boro squad, Carrick admitted it's an ever-evolving situation, with lessons learned all the time during a season about a squad and what it may or may not need. He said: “You never stop learning and always should be learning. There are always things to take from any game during a season.

"I’m not precious or stubborn enough to not allow things to seep in, acknowledge that sometimes we do certain things well, other times we don’t do other things so well. You learn from that as the season goes. Sometimes we can use what we have here already to tweak things and do it better - which can also be part of gaining experience. It’s something that’s constantly going on, whether it’s on the pitch or around the place. We’re constantly looking at ways in which we can get better.”

The transfer window closes at 11 pm on Monday, February 3. The same night Boro are hosting Sunderland in what will be a crunch Championship clash in the race for the top six.