Boro close in on targets

Southgate: Transfer plans

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Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is closing in on his summer transfer targets with up to three new signings on the cards.

The Boro boss is looking to bolster his squad, with Paris St Germain midfielder Didier Digard one player expected to move to the Riverside.

Boro chief executive Keith Lamb would not identify their targets, but is keen to have the players on board in time for pre-season training.

Negotiations

Lamb told the club's official website: "We are actively pursuing a number of players.

"Negotiations are going very well and we hope to have most of our incoming transfer activity completed before the players return to training on July 7.

"Everything is going well and we are confident of completing two or three new signings soon."

And Lamb believes that Boro are laying the foundations to become regulars in the top half of the Premier League table and returning to European competition.

Ambition

He added: "We think we are capable, as a football club, of occasionally winning a cup, of finishing in the Premier League's top eight on a consistent basis and of generally giving the fans good run for their money.

"We, as a club, are certainly aiming for the top eight this season, but I know that there is the ambition and belief among the squad to achieve that too.

"That is more important than what Steve Gibson or I think because the players are the ones who can make it happen.

"We want to experience European football again, there's no doubt about that. The club, the players and the fans all want that.

"We would love to do that via our finishing position in the league, but of course we would be happy to achieve it by winning a cup too.

"We look back with pride on what we achieved in Europe. We did better than most English teams in the Uefa Cup over the past 20 years and we would love another crack at it."