Norwich City centre-back Dani Ayala is poised to seal a permament move to Championship club Middlesbrough - according to reports in the north-east on Thursday morning.
Ayala is primed to join Boro on an initial loan deal with the option to complete a permament switch to the Riverside for an undisclosed fee in January. The Middlesbrough Evening Gazette state Tony Mowbray's club is now in advanced talks with the Spaniard over personal terms with Ayala unlikely to feature in Chris Hughton's Premier League plans this season.
The 22-year-old was involved in the club's summer build-up but spent the majority of last season on loan at Championship club Nottingham Forest. Ayala has made just seven Premier League appearances for the Canaries since arriving at Carrow Road for a reported £750,000 deal from Liverpool in August 2011. Ayala's early Norwich career was hampered by a succession of knee injury problems and since Hughton's arrival 12 months ago the former Liverpool trainee has not made a senior appearance for the club.
The ex-Spanish Under-21 international arrived in Norfolk with a big reputation after progressing through the youth ranks at Anfield following a move to England from Seville in 2008.
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