Middlesbrough confirm double departure as Blackburn cap off successful deadline day following Leeds and Norwich deals

The 22-year-old broke into Boro’s first team last season, making 24 Championship appearances and keeping four clean sheets in his first six league games.

Yet Pears, who progressed through Boro's academy, fell down the pecking order at the Riverside following the arrival of Marcus Bettinelli on loan from Fulham.

Dejan Stojanovic, who joined the Teessiders in January, was also picked ahead of Pears for Boro’s opening game of the season against Shrewsbury in the Carabao Cup and appeared to be manager Neil Warnock’s No 2 choice between the sticks.

Rovers were keen to add another goalkeeper to their squad to compete with first-choice stopper Thomas Kaminski.

Pears became Blackburn’s third signing on transfer deadline day after Tony Mowbray’s side secured season-long loan deals for Barry Douglas from Leeds United and Tom Trybull from Norwich City.

Meanwhile Boro striker Stephen Walker has returned to League One club MK Dons on loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old made seven appearances for The Dons during the 2018/19 season and helped Crewe win promotion from League Two last campaign.

“I’m delighted to be back,” Walker told mkdons.com. “I enjoyed my time here two seasons ago and I’m looking forward to getting going again.

“The manager was a big reason why I wanted to come back here. I obviously know him from our time together as teammates and I’m excited to get to work under him and his management team.

“I want to come here and contribute as much as I can to help the team win games and climb the table.”

Dons boss Russell Martin added: "Stephen has so much potential and he gives us something different in the final third - he is quick, has great technical ability and is a fantastic finisher.

"He's 18 months further down the line than when he was last here. I saw something in him as a teammate that I can't wait to realise now, now that he's coming back here in a better place physically and mentally."

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