The Serbia global looked set to make the switch to the Riverside Stadium in an £8million deal, but the move has broken down over Subotic’s medical examination.
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Cape Town – Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic’s proposed move to Middlesbrough is off after a medical assessment revealed a rib injury that will sideline the Serbian for the rest of the year.
Subotic had an injury-hit 2015-16 season making just five starts and one substitute appearance in the Bundesliga.
Newly-promoted Boro had been expected to sign the defender for around £8m, with Dortmund ready to sell Subotic despite seeing Mats Hummels join rivals FC Bayern München.
The deal is “unlikely to be revived”, according to the regional newspaper, but Boro appear to be closing in on another huge coup – former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo.
But Karanka has been left frustrated in his hopes of landing Subotic, who is known to have been impressed by what he has heard and seen during his time being shown around the Teesside club’s facilities.
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Subotic’s representative has made it clear the transfer could still happen, though, insisting the 27-year-old is only undergoing some extra tests due to an old arm injury that kept him out of action in the decisive stages of last season.
