MIDDLESBROUGH have suffered a transfer blow with the news that Hull City defender Jacob Greaves has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract.

The 21-year-old Greaves had been the subject of two rejected bids from Boro with Chris Wilder keen to add a left-footed centre half to his squad before the end of the transfer window.

The Tigers remained adamant that Greaves was not for sale and that they were locked in talks with the player over a contract extension with one year remaining on his previous deal.

With less than two weeks to go in the transfer window, Boro will now have to widen their search for a left-sided centre half after Greaves put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal with an option for a further year.

Boro have been playing Marc Bola at left centre-back in the opening games of the season whilst Paddy McNair was the preferred option there last season but the feeling is that Wilder had other options in mind ahead of this season and he will continue to push the club to bring another option to the squad before this month’s deadline.

Boro are in the midst of a search for a new striker as the club declared their interest in Preston frontman Emil Riis Jakobsen and submit bids for Groningen forward Jorgen Strand Larsen.