Middlesbrough have agreed a deal with north east rivals Sunderland for Northern Ireland international Paddy McNair.

The former Manchester United midfielder was a rare positive in a miserable season for the Black Cats last year and ended the campaign in fine goal scoring form.

Whilst it wasn't enough to keep the Wearside outfit up, it did attract a lot of attention from other clubs in McNair.

Premier League Brighton have had two bids rejected for the player and several other sides from the top two divisions had been linked with a move for the 23-year old.

However, it appears that Boro have won the race for his signature, with journalist James Hunter, who works for the Sunderland Chronicle, reporting that Tony Pulis' side have agreed a fee for the player.

He didn't know the specific fee but stated that it was hopefully more than the £5m that had been mentioned before.

After relegation to League One, the Black Cats knew they would have to sell some of their better players even after Stewart Donald took over the club from Ellis Short.

The Verdict

This is a good signing for Boro as McNair is a very good player and still is young. The only issue will be his injury record but hopefully he is over them now.

He offers versatility for Pulis and will be a very useful addition for a demanding, tough campaign that lies ahead.

For Sunderland, they knew he would be off and it has always been about getting the best possible fee. Now they need to reinvest as much as possible and back Jack Ross in the market.

Thoughts, Sunderland and Boro fans? Let us know in the comments below.