Viduka for Boro?

The Australian forward, who has never had a serious injury during four years at Elland Road, was at Boro's Rockliffe Park training HQ yesterday to undergo stringent tests.

Viduka is thought to have come through those with flying colours and he is likely to be unveiled as Steve McClaren's first summer signing on Monday.

The 28-year-old, rated at £4m by Leeds, is extremely close to agreeing terms at Boro but there were still a few minor details to be ironed out last night.

Another factor holding up the transfer is the move of Boro striker Michael Ricketts in the other direction.

Ricketts passed a medical at Leeds last week but he has not officially been named as a Whites player as the two clubs may decide to combine the transfers in one deal.

But it remains only a matter of time before Viduka joins Boro's playing staff and he should meet up with the rest of the squad for the first day of pre-season training on Monday.

McClaren said yesterday: "I can confirm that Mark is at the club. He will be taking a medical and we will be looking to finalise a deal to make him a Middlesbrough player in the next day or so."

When the former Celtic man does put pen to paper on Teesside it will bring to an end a long-running saga that first started last November.

It was then that McClaren made tentative inquiries about the possibility of taking the player on loan during the transfer window.

However, in January, Viduka stayed put and pledged his determination to the aid the Leeds cause, as they tried to stop themselves from dropping out of the Premiership.

Now, though, McClaren is on the verge of finally getting his man on a permanent basis and boasting a striker who can genuinely be regarded as a player capable of grabbing 20 goals a season.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant at Euro 2004 has also tried to sign Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert, although the Dutchman indicated he only has eyes on a move to London or Manchester.

Portsmouth's Ayegbeni Yakubu remains keen on switching to Boro but the £6m asking price is proving a stumbling block.

But Boro, still on the look out for another front-man as well as a right-back and a midfielder, should receive another boost next week when Joseph Job pens a new deal at the club.

The Cameroon international was by far McClaren's most in-form striker last season despite missing a large part through injury.

His contract at the Riverside ran out yesterday but all the details are in place for Job to sign an extension, believed to be two years, when he returns to the club on Monday.

There had been fears the African would leave Boro for nothing after failing to agree terms before he left for his summer break.

However, he is ready to commit his future to the club and end any would-be suitors' hopes of clinching his signature.

Job had been targeted by Birmingham City before Steve Bruce clinched the £6m signing of Emile Heskey from Liverpool.

And there were also clubs from France monitoring the situation - including former club RC Lens and St Etienne.

Meanwhile, Boro have named ex-Sunderland manager Malcolm Crosby as the club's new youth team coach.

Crosby takes over from Mark Proctor at Academy level after he left to become David Hodgson's assistant at Darlington.

Crosby was No 2 to Andy King at Swindon Town last season and he was in charge of Sunderland when they lost to Liverpool at Wembley in the 1992 FA Cup final.

l Released Boro youngsters Phil Gulliver and Craig Dove have both signed for League Two side Rushden & Diamonds.