Middlesbrough turn down UAE offer for Alves

Middlesbrough have rejected a three million pounds bid from an unnamed United Arab Emirates club for Brazilian striker Afonso Alves.

The 28-year-old has struggled to make an impact at the Riverside Stadium since his club record 12 million pounds transfer from Dutch team Heerenveen in January 2008.

His lack of goals contributed to Middlesbrough’s relegation from the Premier League last season, but boss Gareth Southgate has no intention of selling Alves on the cheap.

Southgate told the Northern Echo: “We have had a bid for Afonso, but it wasn’t something we deemed to be acceptable. To be honest, it wasn’t anywhere near what we would accept.”

Meanwhile, Southgate confirmed that stay-away striker Mido will continue to be fined as long as he fails to report for training.

The Egypt international did not arrive back for training with the rest of his team-mates a fortnight ago, and has been fined two weeks wages.

He will continue to be hit in the pocket until he shows up and Southgate said: “It’s very simple – Mido has to get himself back and into training with us.

“This club will not be paying anybody who is not in training with us.

“We will deal with what happens after that as and when he’s ready to join in with that training, but nothing will knock us off what we want to achieve.

“The players that want to be here have to have the focus they have showed so far and put the other distractions to one side.”