MIDDLESBROUGH are closing in on a season-long loan deal for Paris St Germain midfielder Jese Rodriguez.

PSG have agreed to Boro's proposed loan terms for 23-year-old Jese, who moved to the Ligue 1 champions from Real Madrid in August for £21m.

Spanish side Las Palmas have also made a loan offer, and having been born and raised in the capital of Gran Canaria, Jese would attempt to return to his homeland in an attempt to rebuild his career.

However, Las Palmas can only afford to pay a small proportion of Jese's wages, with Boro having indicated a willingness to fund a much bigger sum.

That is likely to prove crucial, with PSG officials understood to have informed Jese's representatives that they wanted him to move to Teesside rather than Spain.

Aitor Karanka worked with Jese during his time with the Spanish FA's youth system and while he was an assistant manager at Real Madrid, and is a strong admirer of the player's attacking qualities.

Speaking at his press conference earlier this afternoon, Karanka said: "He  is a player I have known for the last seven or eight years. He was one of my favourite players when he was at the national team.

"I know his potential and his character, he could help us a lot. PSG paid €25m for him – he is a player that could bring us a lot of things and we are trying to convince him.

"For him, it is a really important move. The last five months have been difficult for him because he couldn’t settle in as he wanted with the language.

"He has to be sure, and I am trying to convince him that he is better off coming here. It would be big (if we could sign him).

"He is a player who was playing at Real Madrid last season.He is a Champions League player, and he is not like Victor (Valdes) or Alvaro (Negredo) at 33 or 34.  He is a young player, and he needs to take the right step. I hope that step could be here."

Jese made 63 appearances for Real Madrid's first team after graduating through the club's academy, scoring 13 goals.

However, he has only managed nine appearances for PSG, with boss Unai Emery deeming him surplus to requirements at the Parc des Princes.