Middlesbrough Football Club

• Nickname:Boro
• Founded:1876
• Manager:Tony Mowbray

• Ground:Riverside Stadium
• Capacity:35049

Boro must wait for Alves

17 Jan 2008 - 09:25:10

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Middlesbrough's bid to sign Heerenveen's Afonso Alves has hit the buffers, after the Brazilian striker was ruled to have already signed a contract with AZ Alkmaar.

The 26-year-old wants to leave Heerevveen, but with Boro waiting to make a move Alves appears to have penned a deal with AZ Alkmaar - before deciding he didn't want to make that switch.

A Dutch Football Association (KNVB) panel has been convened to investigate the situation and they have ruled that Alves currently has contracts with two clubs.

Panel chief Judge Vermeulen commented: "Provisionally we believe that Alves has a signed a valid contract with AZ.

"But one thing is certain, he had not resigned and was still under contract at Heerenveen. It seems he has two contracts.

"It is normal that a player who signs a contract at a new club wants to be with them, but Afonso Alves does not want to go to AZ."

Meanwhile, Boro left-back Andrew Taylor is set for around two months out of action after undergoing surgery to try and clear up a nagging foot injury.