ADAM Clayton insists his move to Middlesbrough was never in doubt despite late interest from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Northern Echo:

Clayton put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Riverside earlier today in a move that saw Jacob Butterfield head in the opposite direction to Huddersfield Town.

Boro head coach Aitor Karanka has been pursuing the midfielder all summer, but despite agreeing a fee with the Terriers last week the move looked in jeopardy when Brighton made a late approach.

However, Clayton insists moving to a club other than Middlebrough was never an option.

“It’s been a bit like an episode of Coronation Street,” Clayton said. “I can’t wait to get started.”

“It can be unsettling if you don’t know where you were going. But I’ve know where I was going to be since last Monday. We tried to get it through for Saturday’s game, but that didn’t happen, so there was no rush. There was just a lot to sort out with Jacob (Butterfield) going the other way. It was all rather complicated.”

Clayton could make his debut against former club Leeds United on Saturday and the 25-year-old admits he isn’t expecting a warm welcome at Elland Road.

He said: “I got a nice frosty reception there when I went with Huddersfield, I can’t imagine it will be any different with Boro. It would be nice to start with a goal at Leeds.

“I enjoyed my two years at Huddersfield. Jacob will find a great little club run by good people and the lads there are top notch, if they get it right they’ll be all right, once they sort of the managerial situation.”