Middlesbrough are keen on Norwich City pair Dani Ayala and Luciano Becchio.
Boro boss Tony Mowbray hopes to take both players on-loan.
He told the Evening Gazette: "We are working on things on a daily basis. How close are we to doing something? I would like to think pretty close.
"Let's wait and see what happens, but we are working very hard to strengthen the squad.
"The point I have been trying to make is we have a good team. I just feel the squad needs to be strengthened so that if we suffer an injury, we have cover in place."
