Alves seeks England move
06 Jan 2008 - 13:37:59
Heerenveen striker Afonso Alves has his heart set on making a January switch to England, with Manchester City reported to be leading the chase for his signature.
The 26-year-old Brazil international had been expected to join AZ Alkmaar this month, but that deal has now been called off and Alves is looking further afield.
He told the Sunday Mirror: "My dream is to play in the Premier League in England. That will help me stay in the Brazil set-up.
"I played for Brazil at Wembley and enjoyed the experience. When I turn up for international duty all the other players arrive from the top clubs.
"They ask me where I play and laugh when I tell them. I want to be in the same bracket as them."
Alves made his name in Sweden with Orgryte and Malmo, before heading to the Netherlands in the summer of 2006 and earlier this term he scored seven goals in Heerenveen's 9-0 thrashing of Heracles.
He was also a reported target for Middlesbrough, but their manager Gareth Southgate has played down such talk.
He said: "We are going to be linked with any number of players, some of whom are going to be realistic, some of whom we are not going to be able to afford and some I have never heard of.
"I have heard of him and I have to be very careful as a young manager, as I don't want to be shown up for a lack of world football knowledge.
"But some of the names that get thrown up seem almost like anagrams."