Middlesbrough agree on a long-term deal with a Wrexham-linked free agent

Middlesbrough are set to sign goalkeeper Tom Glover after he passed his Riverside Medical

Middlesbrough has agreed a deal to sign free agent goalkeeper Tom Glover on a long-term deal after his Melbourne City exit, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Australian is on course to become Boro’s second signing of the summer after they snapped up versatile young forward Alex Gilbert earlier this week following his Brentford release.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper search update

Signing a new keeper has been high on Michael Carrick’s list of priorities this summer after Zack Steffen returned to parent club Manchester City at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Steffen impressed at the Riverside and Boro were linked with a permanent move for the American but a reported £10 million asking price looks to have put them off.

The Teessiders have been looking at potential replacements close to home in QPR’s Seny Dieng, who Boro did make a move for but is said to be no longer chasing, and Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow, who may well be on his way out of St James’ Park this summer.

But the North East club have been casting their net wider as well and are now closing in on their Steffen replacement.

Middlesbrough close in on Tom Glover

Glover emerged as a target yesterday – with TEAMtalk reporting that talks had been held with the 25-year-old – and it now looks as though they’re set to win the race for him.

Hollywood-backed League Two new arrivals Wrexham were linked with the Australian shot-stopper, who is a free agent after leaving Melbourne at the end of last season, back in May but the Teessiders are closing in.

According to O’Rourke, Glover has agreed to sign a long-term deal with Boro after passing his Riverside medical.

Who is Tom Glover?

The 6ft3 Australian keeper is a product of the Tottenham academy and spent five years with the North Londoners but never made a senior appearance for them.

He headed back down under to sign for Melbourne on a free transfer in 2019 and has made 106 appearances for the A-League side since – keeping 29 clean sheets and conceding 125 times across his four-year tenure.

Glover played his part in a successful period of the club’s history, helping them to finish top of the A-League in the last three seasons and winning the finals in 2020/21.

His performances were rewarded with a call-up to the Australian national team squad. He represented them in the 2020 Olympics but has not yet made his official senior debut despite being named on the bench against Argentina in a friendly in June.

Middlesbrough 2023 summer signings

By Championship standards, Boro has made a quiet start to the summer transfer window but landed Gilbert, their first signing earlier this week, and more look set to follow.

Alongside Glover, the Teessiders are reportedly closing in on another A-League export in Central Coast Mariners forward Sammy Silvera.

The Championship club is one of four teams to have an offer, thought to be worth six figures, accepted for the 22-year-old, and reports in Australia have claimed that he has chosen to join Boro over Hearts, Plymouth Argyle, and Stoke City.

Silvera is said to have turned down a bigger offer from Japan to head to the Riverside as he wants to return to England.