Boro face wait in Huth case

New Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate may have to wait until after the weekend to discover if he has signed his replacement in defence.

The 35-year-old rubber-stamped the club’s move for Chelsea defender Robert Huth after he was appointed Steve McClaren’s successor earlier this week.

Now Boro are awaiting an answer from the 21-year-old German international and, although his agent Manfred Schulte had hoped to have things finalised before the start of the World Cup finals later today, it appears Southgate may have to wait a little longer.

Schulte said today the deal has not yet gone through and asked when he expected the situation to be resolved, he replied: “Over the weekend, hopefully. It’s up to the boy to make his decision over where he goes, and then we will see.”

Asked if Huth, a key member of his country’s World Cup squad, has other options, he said: “There has been so much half-true news in the past, I would rather say nothing until it’s all over and he has made his decision.”

Boro agreed an undisclosed fee with Chelsea and personal terms with the player after holding off competition from Wigan and Aston Villa following Everton’s apparent withdrawal from the race to sign the Berlin-born 6ft 2ins defender.

Southgate is searching for reinforcements in central defence after admitting his own playing career is effectively over, and United States international Oguchi Onyewu, who is also on duty in Germany, has also been in talks with the club.