Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate wants to sign players who will make long-term impacts.
The former England defender is back behind his desk and attempting to push through his summer spending plans.
However, there is much work to be done before the Teessiders launch the new Barclays Premier League season with Tottenham Hotspur's visit to the Riverside Stadium before they head for Liverpool.
Spurs have wasted little time in strengthening their squad with manager Juande Ramos having already invested a total of around £21million in Luka Modric and Giovani dos Santos.
new signings
But Southgate knows only too well that big spending does not guarantee results.
He said: "We are obviously looking to strengthen our squad before then, while Spurs have already spent big.
"But they did that last season and still only finished a couple of places ahead of us, so spending a lot of money doesn't necessarily guarantee success.
"Big new signings can be exciting, but I want players who can make a long-term impact, not just a few early headlines."
