Middlesbrough coach Tony Pulis has insisted that the only deals that his side will do in the dying embers of the January transfer window will be loans, following their exit from The FA Cup in the 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Not going to be any permanent signings at The Riverside
Long-standing Boro chairman Steve Gibson spent big in the summer following their fall back down from the Premier League, even breaking their record fee for striker Britt Assombalonga in an attempt to gain promotion at the first time of asking.
Those signings were made under the watch of former coach Garry Monk who has since been subsequently replaced by Pulis, who has made a good start on Teesside.
It may have been expected Pulis would bring in some new faces and his own signings to The Riverside Stadium with four days to go, but following the defeat to Chris Hughton's side Pulis insisted that it would only be loanees coming into the side as he believed the people already available need to be given a chance.
"No," Pulis confirmed that if he was going to delve into the transfer market. "I'm not going to spend any of Steve's money."
"If I'm going to do anything," the coach stated. "It will be loans."
"I think he's spent enough money on this squad anyway," Pulis added. "And we have got to give these people a chance."
Lady luck hasn't shone on the side once again
Boro headed into the clash against The Seagulls as being touted as the favourites by many, and they lived up to that with an excellent array of chances in the first period with Daniel Ayala and Patrick Bamford going close before Adama Traoré clattered the post.
The Teesside outfit lacked the same intensity in the second period however, and they were punished as Glenn Murray snatched a winner for the visitors in the final minute of normal time.
For the second consecutive home clash Boro failed to find the back of the net despite dominance throughout, their exit from The FA Cup could prove a blessing in disguise in allowing them to focus on reaching the play-off places but Pulis stated that though there was a "lot of positives" but once again failed to take their chances.
"It was very similar to the last home game where we created chances, especially in the first half," he said. "And didn't take the chances and then Lady Luck has not shone on our side in the last couple of minutes of the game."
"There were a lot of positives and there was a lot of good play," the Welshman admitted. "You can't fault the players for the effort and commitment."
"But we are playing with players on the pitch who the club have invested a lot of money in to score goals and if you are going to do that," Pulis concluded. "Then you have got to give them the ammunition to score those goals."