MIDDLESBROUGH boss Chris Wilder has confirmed the club’s interest in Jorgen Strand Larsen with a bid placed for the Norwegian striker while the club await news on other bids for targets.

The FC Groningen striker, who scored 14 goals last season for the top flight Dutch outfit, is a wanted man with Boro keen to bring in forwards before the end of the transfer window. However, Groningen’s stance on Larsen remains firm on the promising striker and are prepared to offer him a new contract to try and keep him in the Netherlands.

After there was confidence that Boro could get deals done this week from the manager, the club have not been able to bring in any signings before this weekend’s trip to Queens Park Rangers as they await news on bids for players.

“We have put a bid in for Larsen, that’s correct. I’m not so sure it’s two I know we have put a bid in for the player” said Wilder in this morning’s press conference.

“I’m a straight batter but I can’t fib so we’ve put a bid in for a player. We’ve put a bid in for two or three players that are ongoing. Hopefully, we can see some movement on something throughout the weekend.

“As it sits now, we’re travelling down with the same group of players with the addition of Paddy McNair. We understand that it’s not how we would like it to look and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the look that we have when the window shuts.”

Boro have encountered difficult in the transfer window with clubs seemingly keeping a tight grip on players with Wilder describing a potential domino effect for deals to take place.

They will face a fight on their hands to pry Larsen away from the Netherlands and are only willing to sell for the right price. The club's technical director Mark-Jan Fledderus said: “We want to keep (Larsen) at Groningen and only sell for the absolute top price. To make it very clear that we don’t argue at every board. We say for this amount, you can go.

“We are trying to do everything we can to get you to still keep on board. Meanwhile, the bids from Bologna have been twice. There have also been two bids from Middlesbrough that are even more than Bologna’s.

“It makes sense that when you are a boy of 22 years, that you also like those kind of steps. That has been the conversations with them so far. We want to talk to show you that we really appreciate him. We think his role in the group is super important. He will actually missed an upgrade of what his contract deserves. That is the status at the moment.”

Wilder takes his side to the capital this weekend for their second Championship game of the season against Michael Beale’s Queens Park Rangers.