VICTOR VALDES will make his first appearance in a Middlesbrough shirt today while Aitor Karanka waits for the go-ahead to field his latest fabulous four as preparations for the Premier League continue.

The Champions League winning goalkeeper will be part of a large Boro squad that travels down to south Yorkshire along with another summer recruit Viktor Fischer.

Spanish defender Antonio Barragan completed his £2.5m transfer from Valencia last night by signing a three-year deal. He underwent a medical, but he will not play at the Keepmoat Stadium.

The 29-year-old full-back, who had a year remaining at the Mestalla, will fly out to Marbella on Monday when Karanka wants his new-look squad to use the trip to gel and take their fitness to new levels.

During the course of the eight-day visit to the Costa del Sol Valencia team-mate Alvaro Negredo will join up with them after a season-long loan deal was agreed.

Uruguayan Gaston Ramirez, after a deal was concluded with Penarol, will complete his switch over the weekend after he learned he will receive a work permit.

Then it will be a case of whether Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic can win his own work permit battle to complete his move and join up with Karanka and Co in Marbella, but Middlesbrough have struck an agreement with the Bundesliga club.

They will take the number of new additions to nine and Karanka is looking for more, with Paris St Germain’s 20-year-old attacker Yakou Meite the latest to be linked, as well as Heerenveen defender Kenny Otigba.

After handing first appearances for the club to £12m midfielder Marten de Roon and Hearts defender Jordan McGhee during the 6-0 win at York City last weekend, it will be the turn of two more summer recruits at Doncaster.

Fischer, the first to sign of the five current new-boys, was given some extra time off because of his international commitments with Denmark at the end of last season.

But he has trained with his new team-mates this week and will head for Doncaster expecting to play some part for the first time since his £3.8m switch from Ajax.

He will play wide and is one of the reasons why Adam Reach is gaining so much attention from Championship clubs.

Reading are the latest to have been in contact with Middlesbrough about ending Reach’s Riverside spell, although Sheffield Wednesday, Derby, Wolves and Preston are a few of the others keen on the winger.

Middlesbrough want to complete their own transfer business first before deciding on the futures of others, although reducing the number of goalkeepers they have in the squad is not an option.

Valdes’ arrival is certain to see the former Barcelona man command a starting place at the expense of Dimi Konstantopoulos, although the experienced Greek will hope he starts first choice after two impressive years at the Riverside. Tomas Mejias will be third choice.

Valdes is expected to line-up for at least 45 minutes. The three-time Champions League winner, who also won La Liga six times with Barca, is desperate to make up for lost time after a frustrating 18 months at Manchester United, where he went on loan to Standard Liege.

Boro defender Ben Gibson insists that the atmosphere in the dressing room does not seem to have been affected by having so many new faces at this stage.

Gibson said: “They’re all nice lads who have come in and worked hard. We’ve got a very good group of people here. They’re demanding and they expect of each other.

“We have leaders and winners and the new lads will have to adhere to that, which they have straight away.

“You can’t tell too much about what people are going to be like until the going gets tough, but they seem like lovely lads and good footballers more importantly.

“We have an identity and camaraderie which has got us through, especially when the going did get tough last year. We stuck together and ground results out which I think you need to get out of that league.

"We had hard times but came through it and it’s vital that anyone who does come in buys into that because if they didn’t the players and leaders within the dressing room wouldn't stand for it.”

Middlesbrough squad will face Udinese in Italy next month. Boro will head to take on the Serie A club on Wednesday, August 3 at the Dacia Arena (8.30pm) to continue preparations for the club's return to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough will play at Doncaster tomorrow (3pm) before heading to Marbella on Monday for a week long training camp that will feature three games, including a clash with La Liga side Real Betis on Tuesday.