Mowbray confident of signing midfielder

Emmanuel Ledesma is set to be announced as Middlesbrough's second pre-season arrival ahead of their return to training on Thursday.

Further talks are being held once the 24-year-old former Walsall attacking midfielder returns from a summer break in his native Argentina. But Ledesma should soon be joining ex-Sunderland and Ipswich Town schemer Grant Leadbitter at the Riverside.

Boro manager Tony Mowbray is confident of a successful resolution to discussions as he told the Northern Echo: "He's in Buenos Aires at the moment, but he's due to return soon and I think we're pretty close to tying something up. He's a young boy with talent.

"He's different to the strikers we've got because he plays in a slightly deeper role and is happy to drop off and turn. He wants the ball and wants to play with the ball at his feet," he added. "He puts himself about the pitch and works extremely hard. He's somebody that hopefully we can nurture."

Meanwhile, Boro remain keen on Mustapha Carayol of Bristol Rovers and Barnsley's Jacob Butterfield and are hopeful of taking their interest even further.

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