Dan Barlaser has revealed his pride at securing a move to Middlesbrough as he prepares for his debut next weekend.

The midfielder was a top target for Michael Carrick this month and after a lot of negotiating with Rotherham, the transfer was finally announced on Sunday, with Barlaser having watched his new teammates as they beat Watford 2-0 the day before.

That gave the new recruit a taste of what's to come and it's fair to say he's excited by the prospect, as Barlaser took to Twitter to send a message to the support.

"Absolutely delighted to sign for this massive football club. Can’t wait to get started. See you all at the Riverside on Saturday."

The win over the Hornets saw the Teesside outfit move up to third in the Championship table, although they do remain 12 points away from the automatic promotion places.

So, the main focus is going to be on ensuring they remain in the play-off places come May and Barlaser will have a role to play, starting against Blackpool on February 4.

The verdict

This is a big move for Barlaser and it's one that he is understandably buzzing about as he has swapped a side battling relegation to one that could be in the Premier League in six months.

As well as that, Carrick has spoken about how much he rates him as a player, so he will expect to have a big role at Boro moving forward.

Now, it's about settling in quickly and he will hope to show his quality on the pitch to help this Boro side continue their good form.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.