AS the countdown continues towards the new football season next month, there has already been plenty of movement on the transfer front and there will be a lot more.

Middlesbrough are back in the big league after seven years outside of the top-flight and Aitor Karanka is making the changes he feels are necessary to keep them there.

Defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Rhys Williams are among those to have departed, but the early capture of Viktor Fischer has been followed by a string of international names and there could be more to follow.

At Sunderland there has been a distinct lack of progress. There may have been a number of outgoings, but Sam Allardyce – whose own future remains in the air because of his strong chances of landing the England job – is yet to add any new faces to his squad.

Rafael Benitez has helped players move out of Newcastle United, while he has spent millions in putting his own stamp on a squad which dropped out of the Premier League last season.

Will the Magpies have Moussa Sissoko, rated at a whopping £35m following his Euros performances, still leading the side at Fulham on August 5? Or will he be gearing up for a campaign at Paris St Germain, Liverpool or somewhere else?

Here are the deals concluded so far by the North-East’s big clubs.

The Northern Echo: Middlesbrough FC

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:
Bernardo Espinosa
Sporting Gijon
Free

The 26-year-old centre-half has spent the whole of his career playing in Spain, but as a ‘defender who likes to defend’, he is confident he possesses the skills and strength required to handle the physical demands of playing in the Premier League. Read more here
 

The Northern Echo:
Victor Valdes
Manchester United
Free

Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has joined Middlesbrough on a two year deal after being released by Manchester United.
 

The Northern Echo:
Marten de Roon
Atalanta
£11.75m

It is a deal that could end up being Middlesbrough’s most expensive of the summer, so what is it about Marten de Roon that got chairman Steve Gibson to spend big? Read more here
 

The Northern Echo:
Jordan McGhee
Hearts
Loan

The 19-year-old, who is a regular in the Scotland Under-21 side, has made 58 first-team appearances for Hearts.
 

The Northern Echo:
Viktor Fischer
Ajax
£3.8m

Viktor Fischer was Middlesbrough's first signing of the summer after leaving Ajax and is desperate to prove himself among the ‘big boys’. Read more here
 

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:
Rhys Williams
Perth
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Damia
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Jonathan Woodgate
Unattached
Free

 

Jordan Jones
Kilmarnock
Free

 

The Northern Echo: Sunderland AFC

The Northern Echo:

None

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:
Steve Fletcher
Sheffield Wednesday
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Danny Graham
Blackburn
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Wes Brown
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Steve Harper
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Mikael Mandron
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Liam Agnew
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo: Newcastle United

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:
Matz Sels
Gent
£4.5m

Sels moved to St James' Park from Belgian Jupiler League side Gent for a fee of around £4.5m, and will compete with Karl Darlow for the goalkeeping spot at the start of next season. Read more here

The Northern Echo:
Dwight Gayle
Crystal Palace
£10m

Five years ago, the 25-year-old was playing for Stansted FC in the Essex Senior League and losing to Dunston UTS in the fifth round of the FA Vase. Fast forward half a decade, and he is preparing to lead the line for Newcastle against Fulham on the opening weekend of the Championship season. Read more here
 

The Northern Echo:
Matt Ritchie
Bournemouth
£12m

The 26-year-old Scotland international became the third summer signing for Rafael Benitez when he moved from Bournemouth to Newcastle for £12m. Read more here

 

The Northern Echo:
Isaac Hayden
Arsenal
£2.5m

Hayden, who can play in the back four or in defensive midfield, has signed a five-year deal at St James' Park. Read more here


Jesus Gamez
Atletico Madrid
£3m

Gamez, a right-back who can also play on the left-hand side of the back four, has signed an initial two-year contract at St James' Park. Read more here

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:
Andros Townsend
Crystal Palace
£13m

 

The Northern Echo:
Fabricio Coloccini
San Lorenzo
Released

 

The Northern Echo:
Steven Taylor
Unattached
Free

The Northern Echo:
Papiss Cisse
Shandong Luneng
£5m

 

The Northern Echo:
Gabriel Obertan
Unattached
Free

 

The Northern Echo:
Sylvain Marveaux
Unattached
Free