GARETH SOUTHGATE has admitted that Middlesbrough are in the driving seat to land Tottenham striker Mido - although Sunderland have not completely given up.

Southgate, speaking ahead of Wednesday's trip to Wigan, does not expect any further complications as the Egyptian is due at the club's Rockliffe Park training base today.

Middlesbrough have agreed a fee, believed to be £6.8m with Spurs, and the forward is thought to have chosen Boro ahead of Sunderland.

"All the talks have been very positive and I don't see the medical being too much of a problem for him," said Southgate.

Even if the deal goes through today, he will not immediately appear for Boro because he will have to wait for a work permit, while he also lacks match fitness.

There could yet be a snag over the agents' fees, and Sunderland manager Roy Keane has not completely ruled out the possibility of Mido moving to the Stadium of Light.

Keane, speaking ahead of Sunderland's trip to Birmingham on Wedesday night, said: "As far as I am concerned we are still in negotiations with Mido and Tottenham. At this moment I am just focused on Birmingham.

"We met him last week and if he wants to come then great, if he doesn't then it's not the end of the world."

If Sunderland do miss out on Mido then Keane will step up interest in former Manchester United team-mate Andy Cole, available on a free.

Boro defender Luke Young, meanwhile, must still wait to make his league debut for the club. The right-back, a £2.5m signing from Charlton, is missing with a thigh problem.