CHRIS Wilder has revealed that Middlesbrough have reached an agreement to bring Brighton and Hove Albion forward Aaron Connolly on loan.

The 21-year-old Irishman has agreed terms on a deal until the end of the season and has been in the area finalising his move to the club.

Wilder and Head of Recruitment Keiron Scott have been working behind the scenes for a number of weeks to get signings in ahead of time and Connolly is one that is set to link up with the squad straight away.

However, it’s unlikely that he will be allowed to come anywhere near Rockliffe for the time being with the club coping with a Covid outbreak that has seen 19 people infected, including ten members of staff and nine players.

Wilder said: “We’re delighted to bring Aaron in. He’s going to add to our group. It’s not a bad first day for him as well is it? He must be thinking ‘what’s going off here at Middlesbrough?’

“He’ll be good for us. We’ll get him up to speed. He’s played quite a few times for Brighton in a fabulous team, technically and tactically. Graham Potter is really up there and it’s a good footballing side so he knows how to play football. If we can play to his strengths and he gives us what I think he can give us, he’s going to be good player for us in the second half of the season.

Boro have also made the decision to bring back Sol Brynn from his loan spell at Scottish side Queen of the South. The youngster has impressed in a string of performance North of the Border and will provide competition for a place between the sticks. Dejan Stojanovic is the first to leave the club on loan as he makes a move to German Bundesliga 2 side FC Ingolstadt.

“We’re light in that department. He comes in as number three which obviously we need in behind Joe and Luke.

“Joe is playing well at the moment. He’s not had an awful amount to do but everything he’s done has been smart and good and Luke is finding himself unfortunate not to be playing but we made that decision a couple of weeks ago and we’re going well.

“We’re keeping clean sheets apart from the other night which was not really Joe’s fault. It was a mistake in front of him. Sol comes back as part of a group of goalkeepers.”