Middlesbrough Football Club

• Nickname:Boro
• Founded:1876
• Manager:Tony Mowbray

• Ground:Riverside Stadium
• Capacity:35049

Boro complete Hoyte signing

16 Aug 2008 - 14:27:25

Click To Enlarge

Middlesbrough have completed the £3million signing of right-back Justin Hoyte from Arsenal.

The Teessiders have agreed a four-year deal with the former England Under-21 international, who made 67 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions.

Boro were forced into the market for a new right-back after allowing Luke Young to join Aston Villa earlier in the month.

Hoyte is a product of the Arsenal youth system but struggled to hold down a first-team place at the Emirates Stadium and spent the whole of the 2005-06 campaign on loan in the north-east with Sunderland.

However, he has not been signed in time to make his debut in Saturday's season-opening clash with Spurs at the Riverside.

Speaking earlier in the week, Boro boss Gareth Southgate was confident of landing a new right-back before the start of the new season.

"What is clear is there are a lot of right-backs currently available. We have had a lot of calls as a result of Luke moving on," he said.

"We have a good idea of what we would like and we are confident we can do some business before the start of the season."