Darragh Lenihan: Middlesbrough defender swayed by Premier League ambition

Darragh Lenihan had been at Blackburn for more than a decade before departing to join Boro

Defender Darragh Lenihan says Middlesbrough's Premier League ambitions helped persuade him to sign for them this summer.

The 28-year-old, who played 252 games for Blackburn before his departure this off-season, joined Chris Wilder's Boro side on a four-year deal.

Lenihan has never had the chance to play in the top flight, having appeared in Leagues Two, One and Championship.

"We're going in the right direction," Lenihan told BBC Radio Tees.

"That's where I want to be, I want to get to the Premier League and after having some chats with him (manager Wilder), he knows what he wants.

"You saw how where he took Boro from when he started, he's done really well and I wanted to be a part of that."

Wilder has been a long-time admirer of Lenihan since trying to sign him at Sheffield United, the Boro boss' boyhood club.

It was at the Blades that Wilder achieved promotion to the Premier League, and that pedigree is another factor in Lenihan's switch to Teesside.

"Once he called and he said what he wanted to achieve, I made my mind up straight away," he added.

"You look around the facilities, it's a Premier League club, and the team only missed out on the play-offs last year - we just want to improve and be ready this year.

"It's going to be a tight division. (But) It's a wide open division and you just need a bit of luck and hopefully get yourself in the top six or top two."