Middlesbrough closing in on £1.3m transfer deal for Brazilian defender | OneFootball

Clermont Foot defender Neto Borges has completed a medical ahead of his move to Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough are reportedly closing in on the signing of Clermont Foot left-back Neto Borges.

That's according to Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas, who claims that Borges has completed a medical ahead of his £1.3 million move to the Riverside Stadium.

Borges has spent the last two years with Clermont in France, but despite his side suffering relegation from Ligue 1 last season, he enjoyed a strong campaign on an individual level.

The 27-year-old has not featured for Clermont in either of their first two league games this season, and he now looks set to make the move to Teesside.

Borges will become Boro's sixth new signing of the summer after the arrivals of Luke Ayling, Aidan Morris, Micah Hamilton, Delano Burgzorg and Tommy Conway, and his arrival will end the club's lengthy search for a new left-back.

Middlesbrough set to sign Neto Borges in seven-figure deal

Speculation about Boro's interest in Borges gathered pace over the weekend, but speaking after the 2-2 home draw with Portsmouth on Saturday, head coach Michael Carrick refused to comment on the rumours.

"Until anyone is our player, I don’t think it’s right to speak about anything like that," Carrick told The Northern Echo.

"If there is anything, we’ll let you know."

However, it now seems that a deal to bring Borges to the Riverside Stadium is imminent, and his signing will help to strengthen a position that Boro have been keen to bolster after Alex Bangura suffered a serious injury in pre-season.

Boro do have two fit left-backs on their books in Lukas Engel and George McCormick, but the former has come in for criticism in the early stages of the season, while the latter is an academy graduate who has made just one senior appearance for the club.

Carrick was said to be keen to bring Hull City defender Ryan Giles back to the club this summer after his impressive loan spell in the 2022-23 season, but Tigers owner Acun Ilicali hinted last month he will remain at the MKM Stadium, and he has started every game so far this campaign for Tim Walter's side.

With a deal for Giles proving to be difficult, Boro had to turn their attention elsewhere, and providing there are no late issues, Borges will complete a move to the club in the coming days.

Given Boro head of football Kieran Scott's excellent track record of recruiting from abroad, Boro supporters should be excited by the arrival of Borges.

Borges has impressed playing for Clermont in the French top flight over the last two seasons, and given that he has also spent time in Brazil, Sweden, Belgium and Portugal during his career, he should be more than capable of adapting to the Championship.

With Bangura set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and Engel putting in a number of unconvincing performances so far this season, it was important for Boro to bring in a new left-back, and it would be no surprise to see Borges become Carrick's first choice in that position.

It has been a positive summer transfer window for Boro, with a number of strong signings arriving and none of their key players departing, and it remains to be seen whether they will do further business before Friday's deadline.