Hull City look set to complete the signing of Middlesborough midfielder George Boateng on Monday.

The 32-year-old Dutch international has agreed a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

“He’s coming in for his medical and to sign contracts on Monday,” chairman Paul Duffen told BBC Radio Humberside.

“He couldn’t come in earlier because he’s gone to fulfil a commitment in France playing in a charity match to raise money for Africa.”

The former Feyenoord, Coventry and Aston Villa midfielder has played over 200 games in six seasons at the Riverside.

Duffen added: “All things being equal, obviously the medical has still got to go through but short of formalities we’re there with George now which is great.

“He’s a player of real quality and real class with a fantastic track record and will be exactly the sort of character as well as skill that we need in order to ensure we fight our second season in the Premier League a year hence.”

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Liverpool have launched a surprise move to sign Tottenham striker Robbie Keane - but may be priced out of a deal for the Republic of Ireland star.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos is an admirer of Liverpool forward Peter Crouch and Anfield boss Rafael Benitez is happy to make him part of an exchange deal.

BBC Sport understands Liverpool would be willing to offer Crouch plus cash to sign 28-year-old Keane.

But they fear Spurs will demand £20m for Keane, wrecking a possible deal.

Spurs have not received a transfer request from Keane, despite reports claiming he had demanded to leave White Hart Lane.

Liverpool’s transfer plans are currently focused on concluding the protracted and acrimonious pursuit of Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry.

Barry has publicly stated his desire to move to Liverpool - and while Villa boss Martin O’Neill admits he is willing to do business, the current price tag of at least £18m is out of Liverpool’s reach.

Benitez’s interest in Keane is an unexpected development but, with Crouch likely to go and Portsmouth still his most likely destination and Andriy Voronin struggling to make an impact, he is seen as an ideal partner for Spain’s Euro 2008 hero Fernando Torres.

Keane is under contract with Spurs until 2012, having signed a new five-year contract in May 2007.

He was an influential figure last season, scoring 23 goals in a campaign that was capped by the Carling Cup going to White Hart Lane - and Liverpool’s move will receive no encouragement.

But reports suggest Keane may be tempted to make the switch by the lure of playing Champions League football at Liverpool, the club he supported as a boy.

He joined Tottenham from Leeds for £7m in August 2002 and has also played for Wolves, Coventry and Inter Milan

Liverpool, meanwhile, may have to wait until European champion Xabi Alonso returns from holiday before they can sort out the Spanish midfielder’s future.

Alonso is on a three-week break after being part of Spain’s successful Euro 2008 squad, leaving a possible £16m move to Juventus in limbo and boss Benitez waiting to discover if he will get a fresh injection of transfer funds.

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Manchester City are among seven British and Irish clubs in the first qualifying round draw for the Uefa Cup, which takes place at 1230 BST on Tuesday.

New boss Mark Hughes has an early chance to see his men in action, after City claimed a European place thanks to their position in the Fair Play table.

The New Saints and Bangor City from Wales and Northern Ireland’s Glentoran and Cliftonville are also in the draw.

The Republic of Ireland are represented by Cork City and St Patrick’s Athletic.

Hughes, who had two seasons in the Uefa Cup with his previous club Blackburn, has made no secret of the fact he wants to go as far as possible in the tournament.

“We hope to have a very good run in Europe if we can. That is so important for us to keep building as a club and to have recognition in Europe, so that will be a priority,” he told the club’s website.

“The squad will have to have the resources to cope with the demands that will be placed upon it, you need depth to your squad - but it has got to be depth with quality.”

City will have to play their home leg at Barnsley’s Oakwell ground, with the City of Manchester Stadium having its pitch relaid after a recent Bon Jovi concert.

Scottish League Division One side Queen of the South, who made it into Europe as losing Scottish Cup finalists, will enter the tournament at the second qualifying round stage.

The draw for the second round of qualifying takes place on 1 August.

Premier League trio Everton, Portsmouth and Tottenham are all guaranteed a place in the first round proper of the tournament, as are Motherwell, who finished in third place in last season’s Scottish Premier League.

The tournament promises to be extremely competitive, with Italian giants AC Milan already in the first-round draw alongside the likes of Ajax, Benfica, Valencia, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and AEK Athens.

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