U's agree fee with Boro for Yeates

COLCHESTER United are on the verge of losing star player Mark Yeates to Middlesbrough after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for the midfielder.

The Teessiders - newly relegated from the Premier League - hope to conclude a deal for the 24-year-old Dubliner within the next 48 hours.

Yeates, who it is understood would cost in the region of �500,000, has been at the club's Rockliffe Park training headquarters for a medical and to discuss personal terms.

Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling said: “We have a history of trying to keep our best players, but it is important to recognise when the time is right for all parties to allow them to leave the club.

“We have received an offer we feel is acceptable and assuming that Mark and Middlesbrough agree everything on a personal level, we feel we are giving him the chance to continue his career elsewhere.'”

Boro boss Gareth Southgate said: “We have been in negotiations with Colchester and we feel we are close to being able to do some sort of a deal there. Hopefully something might happen over the next couple of days.”

Former Tottenham trainee Yeates scored 12 times in 42 appearances in League One last season.

His prospective arrival comes as Southgate attempts to re-shape his squad for life in the Coca-Cola Championship amid interest in both Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson.

But whatever happens on that front, the manager is confident Yeates has all the attributes he is looking for in his summer targets.

Southgate said: “We have got to be mindful of covering everything.

“We need players of Premier League quality, but I want players who have played in the Championship and who have a hunger to push on and a desperate desire to play in the Premier League.

“We want a mixture of hunger, energy and quality.'”

Yeates' capture would cap a positive week for Southgate, who has already managed to persuade utility man Matthew Bates to sign a new three-year contract.