Sunderland target Dimi Konstantopoulos signs new deal with Middlesbrough

The 39-year-old was set to be a free agent in the summer but Boro have moved to tie him down to a new deal to keep him at the club until the end of the 2018-19 season.

The former Hartlepool United keeper - who was a January target for Sunderland boss Chris Coleman - joined Boro in 2013 and has since made more than 100 appearances since arriving from AEK Athens.

Konstantopoulos will be part of the Boro squad that travels to Brentford this weekend with Boro looking to cement their position in the Championship play-off spots.

Tony Pulis’ Boro are sixth, with the Bees 11th and Konstantopoulos is hoping to play his part in bringing Premier League football back to Teesside.

“It feels good,” said Konstantopoulos.

“It was the plan all along. I am settled, everyone knows I love the club, we have been through a lot of good times here.

“I want to see the club progress and I want to help achieve that.

“It’s one of the best feelings to hear the fans shout your name. In football you want to earn the respect of the fans, those who pay the money to support the club.

“When you finish your career that’s what you end up remembering. To me that’s really precious and I feel at home here. I will keep doing my best to help this club.

“My mentality is to try to push myself, push the others around you and that’s what I am continuing to do.

“Even though I am five years older, I still feel sharp and that I can help. That’s my goal. I want to do my bit and that will help the others around me.”

Konstantopoulos added: “Every club changes, everyone is trying to bring the best people in to move forward and that’s happening.

“We are moving in the right direction, we are showing what we can do and if we can do that until the end of the season then we can do that.”

Konstantopoulos made his debut for Boro back in January 2014 against Hull City in the FA Cup and went on to become the club’s first choice keeper under Aitor Karanka.

The one-time Greece international played a key role in Boro’s promotion-winning season to the Premier League in the 2015-16 campaign, keeping 22 clean sheets and playing in every minute.

He kept a club record nine consecutive clean sheets during the promotion campaign.

This season he has made just three appearances in the League Cup, providing back-up to Darren Randolph.