"?Middlesbrough have officially completed the signing of Benin international striker Rudy Gestede from Aston Villa in a deal believed to be worth around £6m.
Formerly of Blackburn, Gestede has previously played in the Premier League for Villa and Cardiff. He has signed a three-and-a-half year contract and will wear Boro's number 29 shirt.
CONFIRMED | #Boro have completed the signing of @RudyGestede from @AVFCOfficial! ??
Full story - https://t.co/CuolrEvkBM #UTB pic.twitter.com/1UhKbOLmDG
The French-born forward only joined Villa in the summer of 2015 and scored on his Premier League debut for the club - a late winner in a rare victory for the team.
He has played second fiddle to Jonathan Kodjia in the Championship this season, though, starting just eight times and featuring more often as a substitute.
Yet despite Kodjia's call up by Ivory Coast for the African Cup of Nations, as well as losing Jordan Ayew to Ghana's squad, Villa have seen fit to sell Gestede.
On Teesside, the target man will compete for places up front with Alvaro Negredo, Cristhian Stuani and Adama Traore. Jordan Rhodes is expected to leave before the end of the month, while David Nugent has been little more than an occasional back-up player this season.
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