Alves granted work permit
05 Feb 2008 - 15:50:44
Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves has been granted a visa and is scheduled to arrive at the club on Tuesday.
Boro smashed their transfer record by completing the signing of the Brazilian hot-shot last Thursday with the 26-year-old penning a four-and-a-half year deal with the Teessiders.
The fee was undisclosed but is believed to have beaten the club's previous record of £8million for Massimo Maccarone in 2002.
Alves' move had been shrouded in doubt after he appeared to sign for AZ Alkmaar earlier in the transfer window, only for the Dutch FA to rule the contract was not binding and he was free to discuss terms with other clubs.
The eight-times times capped Brazil international was in attendance as Gareth Southgate's side defeated Wigan Athletic 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium last week and the Boro boss has said of his latest capture: "I'm delighted to have completed the deal.
"As usual at this time of the year, it was a late night but Afonso brings us something different in that he is a goalscorer who does much of his best work inside the box.
"His goalscoring record in Holland in particular but in Sweden too has been prolific. "We hope he will reproduce that sort of form for us in the Premier League."
Meanwhile, Lee Cattermole looks set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering medial knee ligament damage in Sunday's Tyne-Tees derby against Newcastle.