WANDERERS are expected to confirm the signing of former Real Madrid youth Derik Osede later today, as Boro-bound Alex Baptiste bids goodbye to the Macron Stadium.

Highly-rated defender Osede passed a medical on Saturday afternoon and joined up with his new team-mates for the flight to Austria yesterday to begin a 10-day training camp.

Neil Lennon watched the Spain Under-21 international several times at the end of last season but could only press ahead once Baptiste’s move to the Riverside became a formality.

Championship rivals Boro will sign the versatile defender for a nominal fee, but crucially remove one of the bigger earners on the Whites’ wage bill.

Lennon had originally looked to give Baptiste a chance to earn a place in his side, after the 30-year-old had spent the entire of last season out on loan at Blackburn Rovers.

But the Whites leapt at the chance to bring in Osede for similar money, considering him to be a more secure asset, at a better age with a longer contract. Baptsite is expected to sign a three-year deal at the Roverside Stadium.

Osede has played for Spain at every junior level but wants to be considered for the Nigerian team in the future.

He spent 13 years in the Real youth ranks and got to the fringes of the first team squad under Carlo Ancelotti’s reign but did not make a first team appearance.

He officially left Real’s feeder Club Castilla, managed by French legend Zinedine Zidane last week.

After completing the deal for Osede, Lennon is also expected to press ahead with plans to sign another defender, Nick Kuipers, from MVV Maastricht, and could jet him into the club’s base in Pallau.

Another target, Ryan Taylor, is said to be attracting interest from Nottingham Forest.

The out-of-contract defender has had talks with Wanderers in the last week but is yet to agree terms.

Reports yesterday claimed that Dougie Freedman will also seek to offer him a deal at the City Ground, although the club are restricted by a transfer embargo and currently have wages capped at £10,000 a week.

Sources at Forest suggest they may look to entice Taylor with a longer contract than he is currently being offered at the Macron but not until Kelvin Wilson has been moved on from the squad.

Meanwhile, former Wanderers loanee Giles Coke has been invited for a trial at Blackburn Rovers following his release at Sheffield Wednesday