Aitor Karanka has seemingly hit out at Middlesbrough's board for failing to substantially back him in the January transfer window.
The Spaniard launched a perceived thinly-veiled attack on the Boro hierarchy after he became frustrated at missing out on top transfer targets over the past month, according to the Telegraph, before claiming that he would be the man responsible for being blamed by the club's fanbase if no further additions were made before Tuesday's 11pm deadline.
Middlesbrough have already drafted in strike duo Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford from Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively, but Karanka has been unsuccessful in his attempts to prise Bojan Krkic and Robert Snodgrass from Stoke City and Hull City - the pair having joined FC Mainz and West Ham instead.
A loan move for PSG's Jese Rodriguez has also fallen by the wayside, with the forward joining La Liga side La Palmas as well.
Ahead of his side's game against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, Karanka fired his shots across the bow as he admitted he had done his best to strengthen his first-team squad's fight against the drop.
He said: We need to improve the team, and the club knew a month and a half ago the players that I wanted.
Jesé, cedido por el PSG a la UD Las Palmas. https://t.co/xVtrOJ7WYd
¡#BienvenidoJesé! pic.twitter.com/oSksVfwVTX
I always said the aim in the transfer window was to improve the squad. At the moment, we haven't done that. We will be disappointed if nobody else comes in, but I have tried my best.
I don't know why we haven't signed our targets. That is not my job. I am the coach. It is easy [to accept] because, here, and for whatever reason, I am blamed. It is always going to be the same. I am the one responsible, and I am used to that.
It is difficult, but when we got promotion last season, there were a lot of people who got a medal. A lot of people had a medal, and a lot of people had done their job. Now? I don't know.�
The latest apparent outburst from Karanka comes days after he accused Boro's fanbase of not backing his side to the hilt in recent matches - an attack he later revoked and apologised for.
The Teessiders have not won a match since early December - form which has left them just four points above the relegation zone - and, when asked whether he had a squad capable of staving off an immediate return to the Championship, Karanka added that he was unsure of such an assumption.
He said: I hope, but the pressure will increase in the months, and we do not have a lot of experienced players in the squad who have played in the Premier League. Let's see. With this group of players, the only thing I can do is trust and believe.�
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