Espinosa signs for Middlesbrough

The 26-year-old centre-back has played in excess of 90 games for Sporting since making the move from La Liga rival Sevilla three years ago, but will make the move to Boro on July 1 as he comes to the end of his contract.

Middlesbrough defender Bernardo Espinosa playing for Sporting Gijon.

Premier League new boy Middlesbrough has agreed a deal to sign Sporting Gijon's Colombian defender Bernardo Espinosa.

The 26-year-old centre-back has played in excess of 90 games for Sporting since making the move from La Liga rival Sevilla three years ago, but will make the move to Boro on July 1 as he comes to the end of his contract.

Despite Espinosa being part-way through his recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury, Espinosa was reportedly a target for Everton, Bournemouth and Watford.

But the highly-rated Espinosa, who has been included in the Colombia squad without having been capped, becomes Aitor Karanka's second signing after the Spaniard brought in Viktor Fischer from Ajax.