Middlesbrough have one of the best squads in the league with an embarrassment of riches in every position befitting of a team favoured by many to win the league this year.

They reached the playoff final last season before losing 2-0 to Norwich but a lot of there success was down to there strong defence. The centre back pairing of Ben Gibson and Daniel Ayala were essential to Middlesbrough's success which was the best in the league.

The defensive midfield partnership of Grant Leadbitter and Adam Clayton were essential while loan striker Patrick Bamford, who won Championship Player of the Year, and Lee Tomlin were also important before their departures this summer.

Middlesbrough have replaced these attacking players with the versatile Watford midfielder Diego Fabbrini, former academy product Stewart Downing for a bumper £7 million pound fee.

They have also added experienced Leicester striker David Nugent to there striker ranks in an attempt to replace Bamford and they have purchased Uruguayan international Cristhian Stuani from La Liga side Espanyol.

There defence has been consistent as ever this season but they have marginally scored fewer goals and some Middlesbrough fans feel they should add a striker in January to give them extra options up front.

Here are 5 Premier League strikers Middlesbrough could sign in January...

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE PLAYERS!

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Andrej Kramaric

The Croatian Leicester striker was a record signing for the club last season when they signed him in January last year in hope that he would score the goals to keep them up.

Even though Leicester did stay up, Kramaric was not crucial to this turnaround and has struggled to break into the first team and with the phenomenal form of strikers Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki, he is unlikely to break through any time soon.

Leicester's owners are keen to get him off the books but a loan move and first team football in the Championship may help him prove he has a future at the King Power.

Frazier Campbell

The Crystal Palace striker is struggling for first team football at Selhurst Park and with the purchase of Connor Wickham in the summer he is even further down the pecking order.

Despite Dwight Gayle appearing to be on the brink of moving away in the summer when a deal was agreed with Bristol City, he agreed to stay and he now has a future there.

He was crucial to Cardiff's promotion a few seasons ago and is experienced at this level, his history at this level would be a good purchase.

Patrick Bamford

The young Chelsea starlet was immensely successful at Middlesbrough last season and scored 19 goals, nearly firing them to promotion.

He earned a loan move to the Premier League with Crystal Palace but has endured a miserable time there with hardly any first team football and he is without a goal as yet.

He has the option to cancel the loan deal and return to Chelsea in January and he is expected to activate this and have a host of suitors interested in him with Middlesbrough front of the queue.

Nikica Jelavic

The West Ham man has had a miserable season at Upton Park since moving there from Hull and has barely has any game time due to the great form of Diafra Sakho, and with Andy Carroll returning from injury he will also be ahead of the Croatian.

West Ham are desperate to get him off the books and the player would certainly be a proficient goalscorer at this level but West Ham may be reluctant to let him go given the recent injury to Diafra Sakho.

Convincing Jelavic to drop down to the Championship may take some effort, but it could be a very smart move given his quality in front of goal.

Lewis Grabban

The Norwich striker is massively out of favour at Norwich and has found himself so since his move from Bournemouth a couple of seasons ago.

He struggled for game time when the team were in the Championship and he has, as expected, struggled for it in the Premier League even though he did get a start and a goal last weekend against Arsenal which could reboot his career.

He scored 22 goals for Bournemouth in the Championship a couple of seasons ago which earned him a move to Norwich so he is certainly proven at this level.

Middlesbrough fans...what do you make of this list? Would you like to see these strikers at the club? Let us know what you think in the comments below!