Duncan Watmore rejects rival interest to join Middlesbrough

DUNCAN WATMORE admits that he is relishing working alongside Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock after signing a short-term deal with the club until January.
New Middlesbrough signing Duncan Watmore, pictured during his time at Sunderland.New Middlesbrough signing Duncan Watmore, pictured during his time at Sunderland.
New Middlesbrough signing Duncan Watmore, pictured during his time at Sunderland.

The former Sunderland winger has been training with the Teessiders for the past month and he has now signed an initial contract until mid-January - rejecting interest from elsewhere to sign.

Should Watmore, who endured some injury blows during his time at the Stadium of Light, impress, he could play his way into a longer term deal.

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Watmore, 26, a former England under-21 international, said: "I’m delighted. I’ve really enjoyed training, it’s a great group of lads here, and I’m excited for the weeks ahead now.

“I’ve been really impressed by the set-up. It’s a brilliant club.

“There were some offers here and there and different options, but I was most excited for this one. It just felt right. There’s so many things going for this club and I’m excited to be a part of it.

“I feel in a really good place. I feel sharp. Game sharpness is different to training sharpness, but I feel like I can make an impact on games. I just want to get on the pitch and show what I can do.”

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On working alongside Warnock, he added: “He’s been very honest and I’m really looking forward to working under him.

“He’s a been a big name in the game for a long time now."

Watmore's addition will provide another welcome creative option for Boro, who have struggled for goals this season, despite having the meanest defence in the Football League after conceding just five times in 11 league matches this term.

In contrast, Boro have scored just nine goals - the joint-third lowest in the division - although they head into Saturday's Championship home game with Norwich City on the back of a nine-ten unbeaten sequence.

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