Boro to unveil Arca today

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is set to unveil Sunderland’s Julio Arca as his first major signing.

Boro have called a press conference for 1.30pm at which they will unveil a new player, believed to be Arca.

The left-sided utility player will leave the Stadium of Light after six years with Sunderland who reluctantly allowed Middlesbrough to open transfer talks.

Arca, an Argentinean who had a clause in his contract allowing him to speak to Premiership clubs, will join Boro as the club prepare to sell Franck Queudrue to Fulham.

Although he can play in midfield, Arca may prove a like-for-like replacement for Queudrue on the left of Boro’s defence.

Arca cost Sunderland £3.5m (€5.12m) from Argentinos Juniors in 2000 and the 25-year-old departs the day after Niall Quinn took charge as Black Cats manager.

Quinn stressed earlier this week: “I’m not cross – he has already stayed once after this club went down – but I am disappointed as he is a terrific guy and a smashing player.”

Boro recently made 18-year-old Herold Goulon the first signing of Southgate’s spell as manager when the French youngster joined from Lyon, however he was recruited initially to go into the reserve team.