Middlesbrough have signed Moroccan midfielder Merouane Zemmama from Hibernian for an undisclosed fee.
Zemmama, who joined Hibs from Raja Casablanca in 2006 and was out of contract in the summer, has joined Boro on a three-and-a-half year deal.
The 27-year-old has returned to Morocco to apply for a visa and is expected to rejoin his former boss, Tony Mowbray, at the Riverside by the weekend.
Boro boss Mowbray signed Zemmama when he was in charge at Hibs in 2006.
The midfielder was one of 15 Hibs players whose deal expires at the end of the season and all are able to talk to interested parties.
Zemmama returned from a cruciate knee ligament injury last month and has made only four starts this season.
Hibs manager Colin Calderwood had been relaxed about the player signing a pre-contract deal with Boro but remaining in Leith until the summer.
But the transfer has now been confirmed by Middlesbrough.
Calderwood said: "He's a creative one who can cause problems for the opposition."
What are these?
Print Sponsor
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?