IT'S been a hugely productive few days for Middlesbrough on and off the pitch as preparations for the coming Championship season step up a gear.

Boro made a transfer breakthrough on Tuesday evening with the capture of Alex Gilbert and he'll soon be joined by Rav van den Berg, with the final touches being put to his move from PEC Zwolle.

And there could yet be a double Aussie boost in the coming days as well, with Boro firm favourites to win the race to sign Sammy Silvera from Central Coast Mariners and increasingly confident of landing goalkeeper Tom Glover, who is a free agent after leaving Melbourne City at the end of the season.

The rapid recruitment progress in recent days has offered an exciting glimpse of Boro's plans and vision, with the club identifying and targeting young players who are believed to have big potential and exploiting leagues that are perhaps disregarded by some clubs. The A-League is one example, with Boro having watched both Silvera and Glover at length last season.

Silvera established himself as one of league's most exciting attacking talents last term, with Mariners chief Richard Peil saying: "His class was there for all to see at the back end of the season, and of course in the grand final, and it’s no shock that the phone has been ringing off the hook to ask about him."

Melbourne, meanwhile, were gutted to see Glover go.

At the back end of the season, City boss Rado Vidošić said: “He is growing into a really good goalkeeper. He’s way off his best as many young goalkeepers are, they can go well into their 30s. There’s so much ahead of him."

Signing a keeper was an obvious priority for Boro this summer after Zack Steffen's Manchester City return. Karl Darlow and Seny Dieng were both on Boro's radar. A move was made for Dieng but it's understood it's extremely unlikely he'll be joining Boro.

Another player who won't be joining is Brazilian striker Yuri Alberto. He was linked via reports in South America earlier this week but isn't on Boro's radar.

In his first interview as a Boro player, it was no surprise to hear Gilbert talk about the pulling power of head coach Michael Carrick. There was top flight interest in the versatile forward, but a video call with Carrick - in which the head coach explained how the 21-year-old fits in and how he'll develop on Teesside - convinced him to head for the Riverside.

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Gilbert had his medical on Monday evening before flying out of Newcastle airport early on Tuesday to link up with the squad in Portugal. It's been a tough few days on the training pitches as Boro step up their preparations ahead of the coming season, but Carrick and his coaching team - alongwith the strength and conditioning staff - ensure that even the fitness and gym work at this time of the year is enjoyable, interesting and specific.

Chuba Akpom and Matthew Hoppe were both left at home for treatment on minor injuries, but several young players made the trip to Portugal and have the chance to impress Carrick, including summer arrival Terrell Agyemang and teenagers Sonny Finch, Jack Stott and Nathan Fisher.

Boro play a behind closed doors friendly against Vitoria Guimaraes on Saturday. Their first tune-up for the coming season on home soil is away at Hartlepool United next Friday.