Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan has secured the services of out-of-favour Stoke City striker Dave Kitson, who becomes his third loan signing since arriving at the Riverside Stadium.

Kitson, 29, who was once tipped for an England call, has had a frustrating time at the Britannia Stadium since joining Tony Pulis' side from Reading in the summer of 2008, netting just two goals in 25 Premier League games.

He joins fellow frontman Marcus Bent and midfielder Isaiah Osbourne as loanees at Boro with Strachan keen to bolster his squad as he looks to guide the Teeside outfit back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Boro have failed to score since Strachan arrived at the Riverside, going down to consecutive 1-0 defeats, and the Scot is hopeful that the addition of Kitson to his attacking arsenal will swiftly change that statistic.

"I'm delighted Dave is coming in to bolster the squad's numbers and give us more options," Strachan told BBC Sport.

"I've been a fan of Dave's for a few years now. He is a good striker and another player for us to call on."

'A good striker and another player for us to call on!?' - High praise indeed from the former Celtic manager, with that glowing assessment Kitson will no doubt feel like Cristiano Ronaldo as he prepares to take on the Championship defences!