MIDDLESBROUGH are expected to complete their sixth summer signing later today with the capture of winger Jesper Blomqvist.

And Boro boss Steve McClaren will also decide whether to sign trialists Emanuele Brioschi and Tony Vidmar on a permanent basis before the transfer window closes at 5pm on Saturday.

The signing of former Manchester United star Blomqvist has been on the cards since impressing during a week's training at Rockliffe Park.

But the Swede was never able to put pen to paper until he recovered from a ligament injury sustained during a pre-season friendly against Udinese in Austria.

The 28-year-old, who was released by Everton boss David Moyes at the end of last season, arrives as a free agent and he is expected to sign a 12-month deal.

And then McClaren will have to decide whether Vidmar or Brioschi will become his seventh addition in recent months.

The Boro chief has already spent £19.45m on Massimo Maccarone, George Boateng, Franck Queudrue and Juninho - as well as snapping Geremi up on loan from Real Madrid. Australian international Vidmar has been training with Boro for a couple of weeks, while Brioschi arrived on Teesside for a brief trial a few days' ago.

Both players would provide defensive cover for the back-line following the departure of Gianluca Festa to Portsmouth.

Brioschi is a full-back, who can also play in midfield, and he made a name for himself at Venezia before moving on to Bologna.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at the Serie A club and is available for free.

Boro midfielder Phil Stamp was still thought to be holding negotiations with Scottish Premier League side Hearts last night.

Stamp is regarded by Jambos boss Craig Levein as the "quality" signing his team need in the middle of midfield and the two clubs are understood to have agreed a £500,000 fee.

Meanwhile, Boro's assistant manager Bill Beswick last night predicted the club's supporters will see an on-fire Alen Boksic this season.

The 32-year-old struggled with form and fitness during the last campaign and Beswick pointed to the summer's World Cup as a major reason behind the player's disappointments.

"Alen's a great player and sometimes it's difficult for great players to perform for a variety of reasons," Boro's No 2 told the club's official website.

"Last year Alen absorbed the change of manager, he had the World Cup, which was his final moment to prove himself as a top player, and his form for Middlesbrough was not what we would have liked.

"But we have seen a different Alen Boksic already this year.

"When you see a striker like Massimo Maccarone get the time and space to score that's sometimes because the other striker is occupying defenders. I thought Alen's performance against Fulham was outstanding."

Boro's £3.8m signing Juninho had an operation on his cruciate knee ligament injury on Tuesday in the United States.

And the 29-year-old, accompanied by club physio Bob Ward, has already begun his recovery work and is expected back in the North-East on Saturday.

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