MIDDLESBROUGH are on the verge of securing the services of promising Hearts defender Jordan McGhee on a season long loan.
The 19-year-old is expected to complete the switch at the start of this week and take part in the early sessions of pre-season training, which gets underway on Monday.
There will be an option for Middlesbrough to buy the centre-back, who can also play full-back, at the end of their first campaign back in the Premier League.
McGhee will initially be part of the Middlesbrough Under-21s team but Aitor Karanka will keep a close eye on him in the hope he forces his way into the first team thinking.
The Scotland Under-21 international - who ran out of time on deadline day to complete a loan move last season - has been watched by a number of English clubs and he only has 12 months remaining on his existing deal at Tynecastle.
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