MIDDLESBROUGH are hoping to kick off their summer transfer dealing by signing Argentinian midfielder Emmanuel Ledesma.

Boro officials have held preliminary discussions with Ledesma, who is a free agent after finishing last season with League One side Walsall.

The Teessiders' scouting team have made a number of trips to the Bescot Stadium in the last two months to watch 23-year-old Ledesma in action.

And Tony Mowbray is ready to sanction a formal offer to the South American in an attempt to add some guile and creativity to a Boro midfield that was somewhat one-dimensional on a number of occasions last season.

After emerging from Genoa's youth team, Ledesma joined QPR on a season-long loan in 2008.

He made 17 appearances for QPR, most of which came on the right wing, and scored a hat-trick in a League Cup win over Carlisle.

However, he cut short his loan deal at Loftus Road in order to join Italian side Novara Calcio and went on to sign for Serie B side Crotone.

He joined Walsall midway through the 2010-11 season, impressing an end-of-season victory over Hartlepool United, but returned to Argentina to join Defensa y Justicia last summer.

However, he returned to Walsall for the final ten games of last season, and once again proved himself capable of handling English conditions as he weighed in with four goals.

Walsall boss Dean Smith would like to sign him permanently, but as a free agent Ledesma is permitted to speak to alternative prospective employers and Middlesbrough are hoping to leap to the front of the queue.

Mowbray is keen to restructure his midfield this summer, and as well as losing Barry Robson, who has joined MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps, the Boro boss could also be waving goodbye to Nicky Bailey, who is edging towards the exit door at the Riverside.

Mowbray is keen to sign Grant Leadbitter from Ipswich Town, and views Ledesma as another positive addition.