NEW MIDDLESBROUGH signing Jozsef Varga hopes to stay at the Riverside Stadium beyond his season-long loan.

The defensive midfielder will join on a long-term loan on July 1 from Debrecen, with the Hungarian highly rated by manager Tony Mowbray.

And the midfielder is hopeful that his time on Teesside will be a success.

“I arrived to England on Sunday night and passed the compulsory medical on Monday morning. The place was familiar for me, I was here a couple of weeks ago when we had a longer conversation with the manager,” said Varga, who spent last season on loan at Bundesliga side Greuther Furth, who were relegated from the top flight.

“It is flattering as Middlesbrough are a famous and big club and they signed me on Tony Mowbray’s wish.

“The manager looked around in more countries and was looking for a player for this position and said I was his main target.

“It’s also attracted me that the club’s aim is to win promotion. I hope I’ll have more luck in England because I had bad fortune in my short spell in Germany.

“But I don’t look back, I’m motivated by the fact that I’d be playing in a country which is a target for all footballers.

“I’ve one year to prove my abilities in the Championship and, of course, I’d like Middlesbrough to sign me for a longer period.”

Middlesbrough have missed out former Tottenham winger Jacques Maghoma after Sheffield Wednesday signed the forward from Burton Albion on a two-year deal.

The 25-year-old, who had been credited with interest from Mowbray, will join the Owls when his Burton contract expires on July 1.

The DR Congo international scored 18 goals for the Brewers last season.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has confirmed Norwich goalkeeper Jed Steer will become his sixth summer acquisition on July 1.