Middlesbrough set to offer Duncan Watmore a contract to January

Watmore, who is a free agent after being released by Sunderland earlier this summer, is now in his third week of training with Middlesbrough’s first-team squad.

The winger is understood to be keen to secure a contract on Teesside, and Warnock would like to add him to his squad.

However, Middlesbrough’s financial position remains tight, and while there is a strong likelihood of a contract being drawn up that would run to the end of the year, it is unlikely to begin until the end of this month’s international break, which runs until November 21.

Warnock said: “He’s (Watmore) different, and available. He’s been training hard. We would probably only do it until January.

“It would be nice to do something, and I’m hoping something might be sorted after the international break. But as I’ve said before, what will be, will be really. We’ll just have to get on with it if we can’t.

“I’m not really prepared to sign anyone at the moment because of the circumstances, but Duncan is aware of that. He’s aware of how much I’m enjoying him training – I’m hoping we can come to some agreement sooner rather than later. But at the moment, it’s not possible.

“I’ll speak to him this week. Things might change overnight, we’ll have to see, but he’s aware of my situation. I think he’ll have other offers on the table as well, which he’ll have to consider.”

Boro return to action when they travel to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow night, and Warnock is hoping to have Dael Fry available after the centre-half was forced to miss last weekend’s win over Nottingham Forest because of a sickness bug.

Warnock said: “I’m not 100 per cent sure. He (Fry) was a lot better yesterday, and he’s coming in this afternoon. We’re training and travelling later on, so as I’m talking now, I don’t really know.

“It’s important that he’s 100 per cent, otherwise Woody (Nathan Wood) did ever so well on Saturday and it would be another test for him.”