Marvin Emnes is excited about playing with Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves.

Former Sparta Rotterdam winger Emnes knows all about Alves after the Brazilian's successful time with Heerenveen.

Emnes said: "He is a big player and I believe I can learn a lot from him.

"To be able to play next to a player like that can only improve me.

"Since I was a young boy, I have always dreamt about playing in a foreign competition like the English one or the Spanish or the Italian.

"The more I got to know the English competition, the more I got interested in it.

"The most important thing for me this season is to get to a level and be able to compete with any other player, to play a lot of games and play as many minutes as I possibly can."

Emnes is expected to be used as a right-sided winger by manager Gareth Southgate, although he can also play on the left or through the middle and cites Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo as a role model.

He said: "I love Cristiano Ronaldo, just for the way he plays and also because he plays in the same position I do. He is an explosive player."