I didn’t buy Alves – Southgate

(GSM) – Former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate claims he did not take the decision to sign the club’s record transfer deal Afonso Alves.

Alves moved to Boro from Eredivisie club Heerenveen in a deal worth in excess of £12million. However, the Brazilian forward eventually failed to live up to his promise.

But Southgate, who was frequently criticized for signing Alves, insists he did not want to sign the forward, suggesting the transfer deal was made by club chairman Steve Gibson.

“Alves? At most clubs now there is a group of people who make buying decisions. But no, I didn’t buy him,” Southgate told the Daily Express.

“But you make a decision. You can walk out – as Alan Curbishley did at West Ham – but if I had done that I might not have got another opportunity.

“There were players I did want and didn’t get. I wanted Brett Emerton and we could have had him for £750,000. That was one where I was told we had no money, but then years later we bought a £12million striker.”

Southgate insists he does not look at his time at Boro with regret, pointing out that be was one of the few managers to have defeated José Mourinho’s Chelsea in the Premier League.

“My first win at Boro was against Chelsea, so I’m one of the few managers to have beaten José Mourinho in the league.”

Alves, 29, left Boro for Qatari outfit Al Rayyan 2009-10, then played a season with their Stars League rivals Al Sadd before moving back to Al Rayyan.