CHRIS WILDER is hoping to sign three new forwards before the transfer window closes, but the Middlesbrough boss admits it is proving difficult to recruit the attackers he has been targeting.

While Boro have made three new additions this summer, with a move for free agent Tommy Smith also in the offing, the club have been unable to land a forward.

They have held talks with David McGoldrick, who is a free agent after leaving Sheffield United at the end of last season, and also had discussions over possible moves for Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle, Southampton forward Adam Armstrong and Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres. However, with the start of the new Championship season now less than a month away, they are still to make an attacking breakthrough.

With Andraz Sporar, Aaron Connolly and Falorian Balogun having left at the start of the summer, and with Uche Ikpeazu and Chuba Akpom having been told they do not have a future on Teesside, Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore are currently the only senior forwards on Boro’s books.

Wilder admits it has been hard to make a breakthrough, but after a discussion with chairman Steve Gibson last Thursday, the Boro boss remains confident he will get there in the end.

“There’s been a lot of inquiries,” said Wilder, who watched his side kick off their pre-season programme with a 5-0 win at Bishop Auckland on Saturday. “But I think it’s (forwards) probably the most difficult position to fill.

“We had a meeting with the chairman on Thursday, and he’s just as ambitious and enthusiastic in terms of trying to get players in at the top of the pitch. We understand we’ve got to do that.

“We’ve got Duncan and young Josh there, but historically I’ve gone with five players in that position. Riley could play as a number ten if we needed him to do that, but we need to bring two or three in, and we all know that.

“Kieran (Scott) certainly knows that, and he’s working away upstairs as hard as ever, we all are. We’re trawling through things, but if you look at the movement of centre-forwards across all the leagues, there’s not much happening. I spoke to a pal who works at Everton last week. They’ve just moved Richarlison on, and they’re having a real struggle getting someone in, and that’s a huge club.

“We’re all after that player who can score 20 goals a season, but it’s such a difficult gap to fill. We’re still confident that the deeper we go into the window though, we’ll be making waves and getting people in.”

Wilder refused to discuss specific targets in the wake of Saturday’s friendly win at Heritage Park, although it is understood Boro have made an offer to McGoldrick, who scored 27 goals during his four seasons with Sheffield United.

“There’ll be names linked, but I’m never going to come out and talk about them until they’re in a Middlesbrough shirt because so much can happen between talks and signing,” he said. “We’re progressing nicely with a few potential signings.

“A lot of the clubs have only come back this week, whereas we’ve been back for a week before that. We’re ramping it up. The players are enjoying the work, we’ve had the first competitive game now. There’s still a lot of work to do, and we’ll be ramping it up again next week on the training pitch, in the gym, and in terms of recruitment.

“I’m delighted in terms of where we are. I’m delighted with the players we’ve brought in, and the further additions which we can potentially make, which are exciting.

“Everybody wants the players in the here and now, and for them to be here straightaway, and obviously that would be the ideal for me too. But it doesn’t just happen, it takes time. But we’re in a good place and we’ll keep working away.”