Boro finally get their man as O'Neil signs

A summer ankle operation, which led to him failing his medical, had looked like derailing the £5m man's move from Portsmouth to Teesside after everything had been agreed.

But after some last-minute restructuring - which is likely to mean Middlesbrough will pay the same fee in performance-related add-ons, rather than one up-front payment - O'Neil has been confirmed as Boro's latest addition.

And Southgate is convinced his fourth most expensive signing since taking over last summer meets all his required criteria.

Just hours after completing the £650,000 transfer of Egyptian international Mohamed Shawky from Al-Ahly in a three-year deal, Southgate finally pulled off one of the most surprising transfers of the week.

The Boro boss could have opted to throw money at landing Inter Milan's Brazilian superstar Adriano or another prolific striker, but instead chose to spend the cash on O'Neil.

The 24-year-old, capable of playing in the middle but more likely to fill the void on the right, has been a long-term Southgate target.

And, at the third time of asking, he has landed his man after Pompey reluctantly agreed a deal amid working on their own incoming deals yesterday.

Southgate had been offered the chance to sign Adriano and out-of-sorts Manchester City striker Georgios Samaras. He also enquired about Newcastle's Shola Ameobi.

However, Southgate was convinced there was only one player on whom he should spend the remainder of the £11.25m raised from the sale of Ayegbeni Yakubu.

"We can all play fantasy football and pick out names we have seen in highlights clips, but its important to know more about players themselves than just picking them from afar," said Southgate, explaining his reasons for not opting for Adriano.

"You get calls about players interested in coming to your club but 15 clubs get that same call. Whether it would have been a possibility I don't know.

"I targeted Gary when I first got the job and there was a stage earlier this summer when I thought he was available but it never happened.

"I want to be 99 per cent sure of the players I am bringing in and Gary fitted the bill."

O'Neil has earned caps for England at every level through to the Under-21s, who he captained. He became the youngest player to represent Portsmouth in January 2000, when he graduated from the club's Academy at the age of 16, and the club's longest-serving player captained Pompey on a number of occasions.

"I am surprised to get him," said Southgate, who was rebuffed earlier in the summer when he asked Redknapp to include O'Neil in part-exchange for Yakubu.

"He was not a player Harry wanted to lose but he needed the money to finance other deals, so he decided to sell. Even though he is only 24 he is a very experienced Premier League player.

"He is a quality footballer and a very good athlete and very fit. His professionalism and character is first class. He is hungry to improve and looking for a new challenge."

Having raised almost £13m from the sales of Yakubu and James Morrison, Southgate has spent around £10m this summer on seven players.

Ideally he would also have added another forward, but City's reluctance to allow Samaras to leave for less than £2.7m proved decisive.

But Southgate said: "We had our best season as a club when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had 13 and the next top-scorer had five.

"We have goals from four of our midfield players already this season and everyone needs to contribute. We have the players capable of doing that."

O'Neil did not sign in time to make his debut against Birmingham at the Riverside Stadium today, and Southgate feels the two week settling in period upto the trip to West Ham on September 15 will be worthwhile.

It is also unlikely Shawky, yesterday's other arrival, will be thrust straight into action against City, although the fixture will be in the spotlight anyway because of the referee.

Rob Styles was taken off the officials list last weekend for his much-publicised penalty decision blunder in Liverpool's draw with Chelsea at Anfield 15 days ago.

Styles wrongly adjudged that Steve Finnan fouled Florent Malouda in the area when Liverpool led 1-0 just before the hour mark.

Referees chief Keith Hackett felt suspending Styles for one game was the best way to make him accountable for the error, but he is due to return on Teesside today.

Southgate felt Hackett's stance was a step too far. "Keith is doing an excellent job but it is harsh for referees to be dropped for making mistakes," said the Boro boss.

"As a manager I expect them to make mistakes but I would not be on the phone to Keith calling for them to be dropped. I know how difficult it is to get it right and I don't think they should be punished for that.

"That puts even more pressure on referees.

"We have a very honest group of officials in this country, probably the most honest in the world."

Jason Euell, a deadline day signing last August, completed a free transfer to Southampton yesterday after being told to find a new club.

And young goalkeeper David Knight has signed for Swansea City after his release from the Riverside.