Source: Northern_Echo
Alves in contention if £7m deal collapses
WITH no money to spend on a new striker, Gareth Southgate will hand Afonso Alves a surprise first-team lifeline if the misfiring Brazilian remains at the Riverside beyond tomorrows transfer deadline.
And with the transfer window not due to close until 5pm tomorrow, Southgate has offered no guarantees about the future of David Wheater and Adam Johnson as he faces up to the financial realities that have accompanied last seasons relegation.
Middlesbrough accepted Al- Saads £7m offer for Alves earlier in the month, but the South American has consistently refused to talk terms with the Qatari side.
Alves and his advisors have been holding out for a return to Hollands Eridivisie with Ajax, but the Dutch giants are only interested in a loan deal, and are understood to be demanding that Middlesbrough continue to pay a proportion of the strikers wages.
Boro are steadfastly refusing to do that, meaning that Al-Saad are likely to represent Alves only possible escape route before the transfer window swings shut.
With Steve Gibson refusing to hand over any funds for a new striker, Gareth Southgate will recall Alves to Middlesbroughs squad for next months home game with Ipswich if he maintains his position of refusing to discuss a move to the Middle East.
At the moment, we still have four strikers in the club and, unless that changes, Ill be looking to use all of them, said Southgate, who will only be able to move for the out-ofcontract
Danny Webber if Alves leaves Teesside in the next 24 hours.
Afonso is still a Middlesbrough player, and unless that changes in the next couple of days, hes contracted to our club and Ill be using him.
He would be one of four strikers in the squad, and at the moment I dont think Id be able to add to that. So each of those four strikers would have a role.
Ive no idea what will happen with regard to Afonso, but theres nothing imminent so there has to be a chance hell still be here (beyond tomorrow).
Boro relinquished their unbeaten start to the Championship season when they lost 2-1 at Bristol City, but Southgates weekend had already started badly when he was informed of Gibsons financial policy on Friday night.
Despite pocketing £10m from the combined sale of Tuncay Sanli and Robert Huth, in addition to the £12m that was secured from last months departure of Stewart Downing, Gibson will not be making any funds available for the immediate purchase of new players.
Southgate had drawn up a list of attacking transfer targets, but the manager will now be forced to scour the loan market as he attempts to maintain his sides early-season promotion push.
That push was hampered when Huth and Tuncay were allowed to leave last week, and it could be further undermined tomorrow if either Wheater or Johnson is sold on transfer-deadline day. The former continues to be linked with Everton, while the latter has caught the attention of a number of Premier League clubs after scoring five goals in six matches this season, and the departure of either would represent a massive blow given the likely lack of a replacement.
We wont have any of the money weve got in to spend, revealed an understandably downbeat Southgate. Thats the situation. And at the moment, I dont know whether anyone else will leave.
Part of me will be pleased if we can keep the squad weve got to be honest. I think thats going to be as important to us as any additions we might make.
In this league, you can use the loan system beyond the transfer deadline, and thats something were going to have to look at. But we have to work within the budget we have, which is better than that of most clubs in this division.
I cant answer questions about the financial position, but Im not going to stand here and complain.
Nevertheless, Southgate will have to use the resources currently at his disposal creatively, and that could mean a surprise recall for Alves despite the Brazilian missing the start of pre-season training earlier this summer.
Crucially, Boros players would be willing to welcome Alves back into the fold, provided he proved his match fitness following his condensed pre-season programme.
I would be happy to see Afonso back involved, said Julio Arca. If he doesnt go anywhere he should train with us and play with us again. I dont know whats going to happen because thats up to the club and the player, but if he is still here on Tuesday night we should use him.
His pace would definitely hurt some of the teams at this level. He is probably the quickest player at the club, so his pace would definitely make a difference to us.
He needs to get in the right shape, but hes training now and it would be good to see him involved with us again.
