Tony Pulis will aim for targeted signings in the summer.

Middlesbrough ultimately fell short of reaching the play-off final because Villa were able to hold them to a 0-0 draw in the second leg and win 1-0 on aggregate. They were a tight set of games decided by slim margins, but Villa's experience told in the end.

This will have been a disappointment for Steve Gibson who wanted his side to go straight back up to the Premier League, which could be seen with the spending in the summer transfer window. However, the squad is still largely Garry Monk's due to Pulis joining after he was sacked in December.

Here's what Pulis had to say about his summer spending plans as quoted by the Hartlepool Mail: "I know what we need, what is necessary. It is just whether we can do it.

"He (Steve Gibson) has spent a fortune. If we can get better we will, if we can’t the players have shown over a season that they are close.

"This is a very good football club, with an excellent chairman who has ploughed a lot of money in."

The Verdict

Pulis is clearly aiming for quality over quantity because they aren't far off from where they need to be as shown in these play-off legs.

This is the right approach to have because wholesale changes aren't needed. Players such as Britt Assombalonga and Adama Traore are top quality for this level, but Pulis may have to deal with outgoings in the summer. Some players such as Ben Gibson have been linked with Premier League clubs, so Boro may end up having to replace them this summer.