Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Duncan Watmore on a deal until January, with Neil Warnock urging the forward to convince the club to extend that deal. 

Watmore was without a club after ending his long association with neighbours, Sunderland, who he made over 80 appearances for.

Injuries mean that Boro have committed to a short-term deal initially after a period of training at Rockliffe.

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However, Warnock has challenged his new signing to convince Boro to extend that deal beyond that January date.

He told the club's official media streams: “I’m ever so pleased we’ve been able to get him on board.

“He’s done very well in training and he’s a smashing lad. He fits in really well in the dressing room and I’m hoping that he can give us a bit of something different.

“It’s only a short-term contract and it’s up to him to show us that he deserves a longer one.”

Watmore, 26, links up with a Boro squad building something of a promotion push under Warnock.

Despite a loss to Watford on opening night, Boro have dusted themselves down and got themselves into play-off contention.

As things stand, they sit seventh in the Championship table, outside the top-six by just a single point.

The Verdict 

Warnock knows what he's doing.

Boro were never going to be giving Watmore a long-term contract given his previous injury troubles, so Warnock is getting much more motivation from the 26-year-old.

It's clever management leading Boro into an important January.

Thoughts? Let us know!