AITOR KARANKA looks set to become the new manager of Middlesbrough within the next 24 hours after chairman Steve Gibson decided against handing the job to Mark Venus on a full-time basis.

Karanka was Jose Mourinho's assistant at Real Madrid for three years and has been looking at stepping in to a frontline managerial position. He is understood to have agreed a two-and-a-half year deal.

Caretaker manager Venus, who could still be offered a role in the new set-up, is believed to have been told he will not be succeeding Tony Mowbray permanently, despite admitting after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Watford that he wanted the job.

Karanka's representative Jorge Mendes is an associate of Gibson and is known to have talked with him a couple of times over the last few weeks. The Spaniard, who is a fluent English speaker, is due in the region this afternoon.

It was also suggested, though, that Middlesbrough were merely increasing their options on the recruitment front on the continent.

Karanka was in charge of Spain's Under-16s in 2008 for two years and he had been interesting Crystal Palace. But with Palace stalling, the 40-year-old was keen to get things tied up with Middlesbrough, who are eight points adrift of the play-offs after 15 games.

Middlesbrough have now confirmed there will be a press conference at 10.30am on Wednesday morning when he will be installed as the new boss.

All has been quiet at the Riverside since the defeat to Blackburn, but Gibson was keen to tie something up before the trip to Leeds on November 23 and has never ruled out appointing an overseas candidate.