Middlesbrough have agreed a deal with Luke Daniels with the keeper poised to join Neil Warnock's squad ahead of the new season.

The goalkeeping department has been problematic for the experienced boss since he took over, with Marcus Bettinelli not impressing whilst on loan from Fulham in the previous campaign.

So, Warnock brought in Joe Lumley earlier this summer and Football Insider have confirmed that a deal for Daniels is close.

The 33-year-old is available on a free after leaving Brentford after three years with the Bees where he was predominantly backup. He made four appearances for the Londoners as they won promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs last season.

Now, he will be linking up with the Teesside outfit, with the update stating that there has been a 'breakthrough' in talks between the player and the club, with an announcement seemingly not far away.

Warnock's men begin their season with a tough trip to promotion favourites Fulham on Sunday, which will come too soon for Daniels to be involved.

The verdict

This would be a sensible signing as Daniels is an experienced keeper who knows the league and would be a decent option if Lumley was forced to miss games this season.

It would seemingly allow Dejan Stojanovic to leave as well, which would free up wages and the stopper wants to go in search of regular minutes.

So, this is a smart, low-risk move from Boro and it should ensure Warnock has two reliable keepers for what will be a big season for the club.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.