Middlesbrough set to player with big Michail Antonio connection | OneFootball

Middlesbrough are close to completing a move for Hinneh Lord Listowell

Middlesbrough are closing in on the signing of 18-year-old Ghanaian prospect with a big Michail Antonio connection.

Middlesbrough, under Kim Hellberg, have maintained their promotion charge in the Championship, and the majority of transfer focus in the last week and a half of the January window will be to ensure that the first team is as strong as it can be heading into the final months of the campaign.

Boro are second in the table, trailing Coventry City by six points after 28 games. They are tussling with Ipswich Town to cement their place in the automatic promotion places, with the Tractor Boys in third, two points adrift of second with a game in-hand.

Hellberg's side face Preston North End tomorrow as they bid to back-up a midweek win over Stoke City, against the backdrop of the final week of the January transfer window.

Middlesbrough close in on Hinneh Lord Listowell arrival

Hinneh Lord Listowell is a product of the Samba Stars Academy in Ghana, which is part-owned by former West Ham frontman Michail Antonio.

Despite a lofty position in the Championship, Boro are still searching for young prospects to put their future in good hands, and they're doing so with the signing of 18-year-old Listowell.

Teesside Live states that the move for the Ghanaian youngster will be made once the visa application is processed.

Listowell is a product of the Antonio-backed Samba Stars Academy, who describe the 18-year-old as a player with 'exceptional ball control, vision on the field and work rate'.

The young forward actually had trials over in England throughout last season. The report reads that he was present at Premier League side Wolves for a period, as well as at Boro, too. However, the high-flying Championship side opted not to sign him at the time.

After returning to Ghana, he linked up with Asante Kotoko in the summer and has made appearances in the league and the CAF Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the Champions League, since.

And after impressing Boro's head of recruitment and head of academy recruitment so far this term, they have decided to sign him permanently, with the view of him immediately linking up with Mark Tinkler's Under-21 squad.

Hinneh Lord Listowell is primed for a big future after Middlesbrough signing

Boro fans who solely follow the first team won't be seeing Listowell in action for a few years at least, with the 18-year-old being afforded time in the academy to adapt to English football before being implemented into first-team action.

However, the Samba Stars Academy product looks like a good prospect, and could be someone to look out for in a few years.

Teesside Live has reported that, through his past trials at Middlesbrough, Listowell is a wide forward who "possesses bags of pace and has a direct, fearless approach with the ball".

If he can translate that part of his game into the development sides at Boro, then he could easily become a dangerous option out wide for Kim Hellberg, or whoever the manager is at the Riverside when the 18-year-old becomes ready for first-team action.

Middlesbrough fans will be hoping that more will come in throughout the coming days, who are ready to make an immediate impact in the second half of the season, but this signing will be one that'll get those at the Riverside excited about the future of the club.