Transfer gossip (Friday Feb 12): Boro chief stays calm ahead of Leeds test; Bantams striker wants to stay; Pompey eye Owls forward

The Teessiders, who visit Leeds United on Monday evening, are currently without defenders Dani Ayala and George Friend, but Karanka remains hopeful his hand will not be forced by injuries as his side enter the final three months of the Championship campaign without two key players.

But, equally, Karanka wants contingencies to be in place if his squad suffer more injuries.

Karanka said: “I’m not looking at any loans at the moment, as we have three or four days for Dani to recover before the Leeds game.

“If he doesn’t, then we have the same players who played on Tuesday. We have Dael (Fry) on the bench and I trust him a lot.

“I don’t know what will happen if we have an injury tomorrow, or if Dani is more than a week, or George is more than three weeks. Maybe then we’ll have to look for something.”

Bradford City loan striker Jamie Proctor is targetting a long-term switch to Valley Parade beyond this season.

Proctor recently converted his loan move from Fleetwood into permanent one for the rest of 2015-16 and admits he wants to play his way into a extended deal at the end of the current season.

Proctor said: “I’m just here to impress. The staff know what I’m about already and that’s why I wanted to take it up to the end of the season.

“I’ve got to perform as I know I can and score as many goals as possible. Then come the summer we’ll see what happens.”

City have completed the loan signing of West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen.

League Two promotion chasers Portsmouth want Sheffield Wednesday forward Caolan Lavery to return to the club.

Lavery, 23, is out of contract this summer and scored four goals in 13 appearances for Pompey in a loan spell earlier this term.

Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin said: “The ball is in their court, as it has been for a while.

“Paul has looked to bring back Caolan and, backing our manager as we always do, we have explored that option.”

“However, it is entirely down to the player, his agent and the club.”