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Boateng set for Hull switch

08/07/2008

Hull City have agreed a deal with Middlesbrough to sign their midfielder George Boateng.

The former Dutch international joined the Riverside club for £5 million in the summer of 2002, but has agreed with Boro boss Gareth Southgate that he can now leave the club.

“The deal between ourselves and Middlesbrough has been agreed,” Hull manager Phil Brown said.

"It's now just a matter of fine-tuning the deal between us and George, and that's a process that does take time,"

32-year-old Boateng failed to hold down a regular first-team place last season, and was keen to look elsewhere for frequent football.

“George has expressed a desire to move on,” Southgate said. "He's having talks with a couple of other clubs and that is the decision he has got to make now."

Hull may face stiff competition from Celtic, whose manager Gordan Strachan signed Boateng from Feyenoord for £220,000 in 1998 before selling him to Aston Villa for £4.5 million just one year later.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is also thought to be interested, but has yet to make an official approach to Middlesbrough.