ROKAS PUKSTAS will fly into England today to undergo a medical and complete the formalities of his move to Middlesbrough.
Boro have agreed a fee of around €5m for the Hajduk Split midfielder, who bid an emotional farewell to the Croatian club after a dramatic final appearance last night.
The American’s arrival on Teesside will swell Boro’s burgeoning US contingent even further, and complete a central-midfield overhaul that has also seen Sebastian Berhalter and Myles Peart-Harris join this summer.
Boro reached an agreement with Hajduk over Pukstas’ signing at the start of last week, but Split officials were adamant they wanted the 22-year-old to remain in Croatia for the second leg of the club’s Europa Conference League play-off with Rakow Czestochowa.
Pukstas also expressed a desire to play in Hajduk’s European decider, with Boro officials agreeing to the request in order to ensure the transfer did not collapse.
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Hajduk drew 2-2 in Rakow’s Stadion Pilkarski Rakow, meaning the tie finished 4-4 on extra-time, taking the game in extra-time.
Pukstas, who has spent six years with Hajduk after initially joining the club’s academy from the US, scored his side’s winner in the first half of extra-time, securing a 5-4 aggregate success and ending the Croatian club’s 16-year wait for qualification for a major European competition.
“It’s difficult,” said Pukstas, speaking after the game. “I’ve spent six years here. They [Middlesbrough] wanted me to come last week, but I couldn’t leave my brothers.
“I would die for the team today. My last game, this kind of ending - this is the game I will remember the most from Hajduk.”
Pukstas is set to have his Boro medical today, with his transfer expected to be formally completed over the weekend, well ahead of Tuesday night’s deadline.
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