Boro bid for Arsenal youngster
MIDDLESBROUGH have bid for Arsenal's Justin Hoyte to replace Luke Young after the full-back completed his £5million move to Aston Villa.
Boro boss Gareth Southgate has tabled a 3m offer for the former Sunderland loanee as he moves quickly to cover the right-back spot.
Arsenal are believed to be keen to do the deal at that price.
The challenge for Southgate - who prepares Boro for a friendly against Sparta Rotterdam this evening - now is to convince the England Under 21 international to move to Teesside.
Young could make his first competitive appearance for the Villans in next week's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur - and he admits the promise of European football was a major element in his decision to leave the Riverside Stadium.
"The chance of European football was definitely an important factor in my decision. You always want to test yourself at the highest level," he said.
"I had a brief stint playing European football at Tottenham. But that was almost 10 years ago, and it will be great to get another chance this season.
"It's definitely a case that Villa's ambitions match my own. I've worked hard over the last 10 years to perhaps get this chance to show what I can do on a little bit of a higher stage."
Young also told www.avfc.co.uk he could have arrived last summer.
"Obviously I'm glad to be here now, but it could have been a year earlier. There was interest last summer, but it didn't quite happen for whatever reason. I'm just glad to find myself here now," he said.
Young spent just a season at Boro after his cut-price 2.5million move from Charlton, following the Addicks' relegation.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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