Middlesbrough close in on fourth January signing after Celtic and Nottingham Forest reports plus Norwich loanee set to depart

SPL side Celtic were interested in the 23-year-old, while Nottingham Forest were also linked with the player.

McGree, an Australian international, plays for American side Charlotte FC and spent time on loan at Birmingham in the Championship last season.

When asked about the player and if Boro are close to a deal, Wilder told BBC Tees: “Yeah we are. We are delighted that it’s another young player we have managed to capture on a permanent.

"The area that I looked at was energetic, talented, enthusiastic players, young players on perminants. We have to build our assets up.

"It just has to go through the final bits and pieces, fingers crossed he’ll be involved tomorrow (against Reading).

“We beat off strong competition and we’ve known about this player for a long time, there is a lot of nonsense that we have blown people out of the water in terms of fees and wages.

"We have been into this players for a while now.”

McGree’s arrival will also mean there are outgoings at Boro this month, including Onel Hernandez, who is on loan from Norwich, and striker Uche Ikpeazu.

"Uche has been made available for a loan and permanent transfer,” added Wilder.

"His personality is fabulous and for maybe other styles and systems he would be suited.

"For the way we want to play, and I’ve been open and honest with him, his game time is going to be minimal.

“In terms of balancing the books we have made him available.

"Marcus Browne is in talks with a couple of clubs on a permanent move. James Lea Siliki has been informed that he is available as well because of Riley coming into the group.

"Onel Hernandez is in talks with a couple of other clubs.

"Onel has been great for me, the same as Uche, great attitude but he’s a wide player who plays in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, a 3-4-3 as a wide player.

“From a financial point of view it’s quite a big number for somebody now at the top of the pitch whose game time will be limited.”

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