MILLWALL boss Neil Harris has told of his transfer frustrations and the Lions' desperate need to strengthen their forward line amid interest in Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn.

Reports from the capital claim Millwall want Coburn on a permanent deal, with Boro's stance on the 21-year-old not clear as things stand after the arrival of Tommy Conway last week.

Coburn starred in the Carabao Cup victory at Leeds United last week before being brought on as a late substitute in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Derby County.

Coburn was quizzed on his future after the Leeds game, telling Sky Sports: "I just wanted to show the gaffer and the Boro fans what I can do and hopefully I did that.

"As soon as I put the Boro shirt on I commit as much as possible."

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Coburn is said to have been identified as a Millwall target, with Harris stressing that the Lions "have to" add to their thin squad ahead of next Friday's deadline.

With Kevin Nisbet having missed the defeat Bristol City, Harris was left with Tom Bradshaw and Macaulay Langstaff as his only striker options, with the latter still getting up to speed in the Championship after his move from Notts County.

Harris told London News Online: “Look at the squad on paper – we have Tom, who did extremely well on Saturday again, and Macaulay, who we all understand is finding his feet at the club and also at the level.

"Kevin Nisbet, it is probably fair to say hasn’t quite got firing in a Millwall shirt but also was ill and has been ill from training this week.

“It highlights the lightness of the group. But in wide areas you need options as well. I’m asking our attacking players to be such a threat going forward and Duncan (Watmore) and Romain (Esse) have scored five goals in three games – that is class, phenomenal. And they’ve been so good without the ball as well.

“They need support and seniority around them to guide them and help. George Honeyman covered more distance than any Millwall player has high speed and distance in the last two-and-a-bit years on Saturday. It just shows his level of dedication and qualities as a bloke and as a footballer to do that – but you need fresh legs and options in the top line."

Harris says he's been assured signings will arrive.

He said: “We will add players to the group before next Friday’s deadline. We have to. At the moment, we’re working with a core group of 14 outfield players.

“That’s untenable in the Championship. That has been shown in the first two games of the season.

“The way it works now is different to even maybe what it was when I was a manager five years ago. Managers tend to be head coaches now because they focus on coaching the team, supporting the group and developing the players. Recruitment departments, sporting directors and directors of football, lead the football club in a sense of recruitment and the football philosophy.

“When I talked after the game about where Steve Gallen (director of football) and the recruitment guys were at, that’s me just feeding back to the fans about how the process works now. Every day, the communication lines are open. I’m impatient as always – I want the players quickly.

“I’m being assured we will have senior reinforcements in the building over the next 10 days."