Middlesbrough Football Club News

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

• Ground:Riverside Stadium
• Capacity:35,049

Southgate slams Yak talk

10 Aug 2007 - 07:25:52

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Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed that Everton have made an approach for the Teessiders' leading scorer Yakubu.

The 24-year-old Nigeria international is a reported £10million target for the Toffees, despite Boro being insistent that they do not want to sell the former Portsmouth frontman.

Southgate told Sky Sports News: "I haven't had any contact from Everton, I know there's been contact at higher levels.

"I don't know the exact ins and outs of whether there was anything written or anything else, but it's irrelevant because he's not for sale.

"Whatever the form of the contact was, we're trying to build a team and we feel that Yakubu is an important part of our team.

"As I say he is very happy. I have a good relationship with him, he's focused on what he wants to do and he's looking forward to this weekend.

"He's very happy, he's been excellent especially the last couple of weeks as we get towards the start of the season, he's looking sharper and sharper.

"We're not welcoming any bids, particularly 24 hours before the start of the season to take one of our best players away."