MIDDLESBROUGH are close to striking a deal to bring Gaston Ramirez back to the Riverside – provided he is handed a work permit.

As exclusively revealed in The Northern Echo on Tuesday morning, Boro had made a fresh attempt to take the Uruguayan back to the Riverside after a successful loan.

Such a deal, following his release by Southampton, was complicated because he had signed a pre-contract with South American side Penarol in January.

However, after lengthy negotiations, it is understood Ramirez and his representatives have reached an agreement with Penarol to have that pre-contract arrangement torn up and Middlesbrough will not have to pay a fee.

The only remaining problem is that he needs to apply for a work permit again having penned a deal with Penarol, taking him outside of the English league where he has been playing for the Saints, Hull and Middlesbrough.

Ramirez has not represented Uruguay, who he did play for in a miserable Copa America campaign this summer, sufficiently over the last two years to earn a work permit so the player and Ramirez are likely to face an appeal process and a fight with the Department of Employment in the UK to get the deal done.