AITOR KARANKA has confirmed his interest in AC Milan goalkeeper Michael Agazzi, but refused to discuss Middlesbrough’s ongoing pursuit of strike duo Jordan Rhodes and David Nugent.

Having missed out on Shay Given earlier in the summer when the veteran Irishman opted to join Stoke City instead, Boro’s recruitment team remain keen to sign another goalkeeper to compete with Dimi Konstantopoulos and Tomas Mejias.

They have assessed a number of options in the last few weeks, but are set to table a formal offer for Agazzi, a 31-year-old who joined AC Milan last summer but is still to make his senior debut for the Serie A side.

Agazzi spent four years with Cagliari prior to moving to the San Siro, and has also represented Chievo in the Italian top-flight.

Karanka said: “I know him because I know a lot of players. Goalkeeper is a position we want to strengthen. We have Dimi and Tomas now, but we want another one.

“He is a goalkeeper who is on our list. We have other keepers on our list as well, and we have to find the right one.”

As well as looking to sign a goalkeeper, Boro are also desperate to recruit a new centre-forward before the transfer window closes at the start of next month.

Rhodes remains their leading target, even though Blackburn refused to accept a formal offer of £8m, which could potentially have risen to £12m with add-ons, towards the end of last month.

With Rhodes’ future still uncertain, the Teessiders have been looking elsewhere. Leicester accepted a £4m offer for Nugent at the end of last week, but Boro officials are still to agree personal terms with the former England international.

Dwight Gayle is another potential target, but Palace today accepted a bid of £6m from Bristol City, so Boro will have to act quickly if they want to step up their interest in the 25-year-old.

Karanka said: “Before the last game, I was asked about Jordan Rhodes and Dwight Gayle – today it is Nugent.

“I don’t want to speak about names because, I don’t know where and when, but someone said that we offered £14m for Jordan Rhodes and that is not true.

“So I don’t want to explain again about Jordan Rhodes or other strikers because we are working to find the right striker and, at the end of the month, we will have the right striker for us.

“We have to find the right one. We are working very well, and I hope we are close to signing the right one. Whether it takes one week or one month (on loan), it’s not a problem for me to wait. We have to find the right one, and I am sure we will get the right player.”

Having drawn their opening game of the season at Preston on Sunday, Boro return to action when they travel to Oldham Athletic in the second round of the Capital One Cup tomorrow night.

The Teessiders made a number of changes when they won at Boundary Park at the same stage of last season’s competition, but while further alterations are anticipated tomorrow, Karanka is confident he will still be fielding a strong team.

He said: “We played Oldham away last season, and it was difficult. We have to go there this time thinking it will be a difficult game, and I’m planning to put my best team out.

“We had a game on Sunday and we have another game on Saturday (against Bolton), but we have a good squad and I am going to put out a very good XI on the pitch at Oldham.”