Boro could complete the signing of Spanish starlet Juanfran this weekend.
The Real Betis right-back - who can also play as a winger - is believed to have agreed the terms of a move to Middlesbrough.
Spanish sources say he has now asked for time to consider the move but has promised Aitor Karanaka he will give him an answer before the Boro squad return to Rockliffe Park on Monday.
The Gazette understands a package worth close to €2m has been agreed with Betis and the player’s personal terms were thrashed out in meetings last week.
Boro are optimistic that the personal pull of Karanka will convince Juanfran to move to England.
The Boro boss knows Juanfran, 25, well from his time at Real Madrid where the versatile player was a second string starlet.
And the Spanish supremo believes Juanfran is physically and mentally geared up to flourish in the Championship.
Juanfran - Juan Francisco Moreno Fuertes - started his career at Getafe aged 17.
He caught the eye in the reserves and made his first team debut in a UEFA Cup clash against Sporting Lisbon.
As a highly rated young winger he moved to the reserve set-ups of first Villarreal and then to Real Madrid in 2009.
He played 138 games and scored 17 goals for Real’s B team where he was converted from a winger to a full-back.
He played just once for the senior side - coming off the bench to tee up Ronaldo for the winner in a 3-2 victory over Osasuna in 2010 - before switching to Real Betis last summer.
He quickly established himself as the regular right back at Betis and played 34 time in La Liga last season plus 11 more in the Europa League as the club made it to the last 16 before losing to Sevilla.
But Betis were relegated and must now cut costs so are looking to offload.
Juanfran has two years left on his deal at Betis, based in the Andalucian city of Seville.
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