Middlesbrough have reportedly won the race to sign USA youth international Rokas Pukštas.
The 22-year-old has spent the entirety of his senior career in Croatia, becoming a key figure for top-tier outfit Hajduk Split.
He made 36 appearances across all competitions last season, weighing in with 10 goals and four assists.
The energetic midfielder, who has been cappped by the USA at youth level, was linked with Premier League newcomers Hull City earlier in the window.
Middlesbrough have made an array of new signings this summer in their quest for promotion.placeholder image
Middlesbrough have made an array of new signings this summer in their quest for promotion. | Bruce Rollinson/PA Wire
Middlesbrough close in on midfielder
However, he now appears set to link up with Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough. A deal worth around €5m (£4.2m) is said to have been agreed despite serious interest from elsewhere.
Posting on X, The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath said: “USMNT U23 midfielder Rokas Pukštas to join Middlesbrough from Hadjuk Split in deal worth €5m.
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“Sources in Croatia say host of European clubs held serious interest in 22yo but Boro won race for player who has been regular in senior football since he was a teenager.”
Pukštas would be joining a growing American contingent at the Riverside, with defender Max Arfsten and midfielders Aidan Morris and Sebastian Berhalter already on the books.
Middlesbrough's recent recruit Sebastian Berhalter is an 18-cap USA international.placeholder image
Middlesbrough's recent recruit Sebastian Berhalter is an 18-cap USA international. | Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images
USA ambition
In March, in an interview with FourFourTwo, Pukštas spoke of his desire to become a full-fledged USA international.
He said: “It would mean a lot [to win a first USMNT cap]. I'm preparing every single day to be able to execute with my club. And I know that those opportunities will come, so I'm doing everything I can to prepare now. So whenever I get the opportunity, I'm ready to step in.
“The players who made the transition from America to Europe early, such as Christian Pulisic, Reyna, Adams, all these guys, I think that we've had similar paths, similar sacrifices. So, I'm excited to potentially share that locker room with them in the future and get their side of it.”