Source: Northern_Echo
Duo on their way as Teessiders exit cup
AFTER witnessing his team exit the Carling Cup last night, Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate hinted that deals are edging closer for the sales of Tuncay Sanli and Afonso Alves.
Despite taking a first half lead through Adam Johnson, Nottingham Forest took the second round tie into extratime through Luke Chambers before progressing into the next round courtesy of a 103rd minute winner from Polish midfielder Radoslaw Majewski.
While disappointed with the defeat in a competition he had hoped to do well in, Southgate was trying to remain focused on the club’s primary aim this season – promotion.
Middlesbrough head to Bristol City on Saturday with the intention of extending an unbeaten run in the Championship to five matches.
There are hopes that, by then, that deals will have been secured for both Tuncay and Alves.
“As soon as we have anything final to report we will do it,” said Southgate. “I was not resting Tuncay, he had a knock, but there’s also one or two things going on so I didn’t think he was in the right frame of mind.
“The key to our good start has been that everyone has been focused on to how we have been playing, so with a couple of things going on with him and others, we left them out. There’s no bid yet but things are progressing quite quickly.”
At this stage a deal for Alves is the most likely, although it would appear that he will have to accept that a move to the Middle East is the most likely way he will leave before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
There has been interest from Qatar and it is understood that Al-Saad are closest to matching Boro’s valuation, thought to be around £7m.
Ajax, Alves’ preferred destination, have shown an interest in taking him on loan, but Middlesbrough are only interested in selling him, leaving the door open for Al-Saad.
Tuncay, however, is being tracked by a number of clubs, including Cologne and Stuttgart.
In Tuncay’s absence last night, Jeremie Aliadiere and Marvin Emnes led the line and Middlesbrough looked like progressing to the next round for the best part of an hour.
But Boro’s defence conceded for the first time this season, despite further outstanding displays from David Wheater and Robert Huth.
“For an hour we were as good as we have passed the ball all season,” said Southgate.
“I was happy the way we played. I don’t think there’s much between the two teams.
We are in a position where we should have done better with a couple of chances and we could have won.
“The clean sheet record had to go at some time. I would prefer it to go tonight than on Saturday in some respects.
“But you could see by the team we put out that we wanted to do well in this competition.
It was important. The fans were great and for an hour they saw us play some good football, we just needed that second.
“If it had been a league game we would have come away from 90 minutes with a point and we’d have been pleased.”
Johnson took his tally to four for the season with another fine goal from the wing and Southgate said: “Adam is in good form. I thought he might have been more selfish and got a second in the second half. Instead he tried to play Leroy Lita in.”
Southgate revealed that Jeremie Aliadiere and Rhys Williams went off with injuries and will be assessed this morning.
