Udayan's Corner - Transfer Hear'Say || Middlesbrough F.C. news, reviews and comment

TRANSFER HEAR'SAY 16-1-08
Udayan Mukherjee

I've been putting off writing this article for a good while now. This is principally because it's the January transfer window and the work that is put in today could be out of date tomorrow.

The rumours this month concern the imminent transfer of two Brazilians and the departure of a home grown talent who has been our largest provider of goals.

Let me first address the issues regarding the possible incoming transfers.

The name that is being most strongly linked with the Boro is that of Afonso Alves, a player on the fringes of the Brazilian national team and a prolific goal scorer in both his home country and in Holland.

His goal scoring pedigree wherever he has been has been highly impressive, and betters that of Ruud Van Nistelrooy from his time in the Dutch league. It also has to be said that Van Nistelrooy was playing at PSV Eindhoven, a team which would create more chances than Alves' current team Heerenveen.

The price being mooted for Alves is upwards of £12m and the figure most oft quoted is around £14m. It is a huge outlay and gamble for a team like Middlesbrough, given the noises the Chairman and Chief Executive have given in the past.

If you are a trusting soul, you may have seen and believed pictures that show Alves alongside the brilliantly dressed Gareth Southgate at the Riverside Stadium.

If the pictures are real, and the latest reports indicate that Alves WAS here on Sunday, then it is an encouraging sign.

Indeed, rumours abound that Alves and his agent have agreed terms at Middlesbrough although it is not entirely certain whether the clubs have reached an agreement. It is almost an unprecedented step, however, for a club to allow a free scoring striker to hold talks without first agreeing a fee and it follows that a deal could be imminent.

Even with this though, there is a danger that the deal could hit a snag. Indeed the snag could come on two fronts.

Before Middlesbrough and Manchester City (reportedly) put in firm bids for Alves, he had already agreed to join AZ Alkmaar, also of the Dutch Eredivisie. The Brazilian has been hankering for a Premiership move for some time now but when it seemed like there wouldn't be one, he had agreed in principle to join Alkmaar.

It is unclear as to the legality of any signings that were made and whether this could render any possible deal with Middlesbrough impossible.

The other potential pitfall that could occur is over the issue of a work permit, although this is likely to be resolved very quickly as Alves is a Brazillian international and quite clearly a player of tremendous ability. And he looks a bit like Danny out of former pop "sensations" Hear'Say. Brilliant.

Alves' international team mate Fred is another that could be joining Middlesbrough, although it is much less likely that this transfer will go ahead.

Chaves Fred is a player who also scores a lot of goals but he has found himself behind Karim Benzema in the pecking order. This is something that has caused the curly haired Brazilian to spit his dummy out somewhat and request a transfer.

Despite Harry Redknapp saying that he believed Fred was going to Middlesbrough, it is now believed that he is holding out for a bigger club to sign him.

Either of these two players, despite being possible foreign mercenaries, have the potential to change Middlesbrough from strugglers to a team of some quality.

We have seen throughout the season that the football is often slick but the lack of runners into the box causes us to have little or no presence in front of goal.

While Mido has been out, the two main strikers, Tuncay Sanli and Jeremie Aliadiere have had mixed results.

Tuncay has scored and created goals, and has developed into an important member of the team. Aliadiere, meanwhile, has created four goals and scored one. This is a tally that is not really good enough.

The main problem with these two, however, is that they are not really poachers. Indeed, you would expect any "striker" to get himself into the box to get on the end of chances. Ours don't.

The addition of players who can pop up in the right areas and can finish chances off is very important. Indeed, in a regular "No s**t, Sherlock" type moment, I would say scoring goals is something you need to do in order to win games.

Unfortunately, there is increasing speculation that the player that is to make way is Stewart Downing. Tottenham Hotspur have already tested the water with a laughable £8m offer but it is clear that this was designed to unsettle the player.

Downing has said that he is flattered by the offer and hopes that his "future is resolved sooner rather than later".

Stewart Downing is a player who is immensely important to Middlesbrough Football Club. Indeed, going on this season's form, I would forward that he is one of, if not the, best left winger in the country.

To let him go for a fee that is below that which Spurs paid for Darren Bent (£16m) would be folly of the highest order and we should ask for a whole lot more. Why the hell not?

Saying that, I feel it would be stupid to let him go at all. To dispense of your most creative talent to buy a striker would probably be counter productive. Many are saying that Adam Johnson is good enough to replace him but I certainly don't feel that this is the case whatsoever.

Downing has two and a half years left on his contract at Middlesbrough and has possibly sensed that "There is gold in them there hills" after the Spurs bid. He may be using this to get himself a more lucrative contract. To be honest with you, he deserves it.

There is a strong possibility that Downing will leave and I am going to rant like a full blown mental in my next article if he does. As someone better at writing than me put it - what is the point of selling your gun to fund buying bullets?

If we can keep hold of Stewie, add a good striker and get Mido fit again then I can sense exciting times ahead.

In all probability however, reading this article has been a massive waste of time and we will sign someone at 11.59 pm on January 31st.

I've heard Michael Ricketts has lost a lot of weight.

Up the Boro

Udayan Mukherjee

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