Middlesbrough today made a major transfer breakthrough by agreeing personal
terms with Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli.
The 25-year-old forward, who is out of contract with Fenerbahce, will head for
Teesside to undergo a medical next week with a view to completing a free
transfer switch to the Barclays Premier League.
Boro chief executive Keith Lamb concluded the negotiations in Istanbul
yesterday as chairman Steve Gibson was promising 'spectacular' signings back
at home.
Lamb said: 'Tuncay will travel to Teesside next week to take a medical. He
has agreed personal terms and the deal is a free transfer as the player is out
of contract.'
Tuncay, reportedly a target for Manchester City and Birmingham, began his
career at home-town club Sakaryaspor before joining Fenerbahce in 2002, and has
scored 59 goals in 154 league games for the Istanbul outfit.
He also scored a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester United in
2004.
A central striker who can also play on both flanks, he has 13 goals in 43
internationals and will be seen as a replacement for Mark Viduka, who left Boro
for north-east rivals Newcastle last week.
The Teessiders, who have agreed a deal to bring Arsenal's Jeremie Aliadiere to
the Riverside Stadium, are also being linked with Tuncay's compatriot Gokdeniz
Karadeniz, an attacking midfielder from Trabzonspor.
Meanwhile, Boro will ask for extended dispensation for manager Gareth
Southgate as he attempts to gain his coaching qualifications.
The 36-year-old has combined his first year in management with his studies for
his badges, and recently spent two weeks on a residential course at Lilleshall
along with coach Colin Cooper.
However, Southgate will not be able to fulfil the newly-amended Premier League
requirement of being enrolled on the UEFA Pro Licence course by the start of the
2007-08 campaign, and that could leave Boro with a problem.
The Teessiders have already held talks with the Football Association over the
way forward, but seem likely to have to persuade the Premier League board to
extend the special dispensation they granted Southgate last year to continue in
his post.
Chairman Steve Gibson said: 'The FA know our problems and to be fair to them,
they have been very helpful and we hope there is not going to be a problem.
'I cannot say categorically that we do not expect a problem because that's
not the case, there could be.
'But we will have to deal with it if and when it happens.'
Southgate has already completed his UEFA B Licence and is currently studying
for the A Licence, hence his trip to Lilleshall.
However, he cannot enrol for the Pro Licence until he has completed that
course, and the demands of his job and the lack of available opportunities to
fit in the necessary tuition are hampering his efforts to meet the agreement his
club reached with the governing body last season.
Gibson, who fought hard to appoint the former England international as his
manager, is confident the club once again has a strong case.
He said: 'We have spoken to the FA, and part of the problem is that the
courses have not been there for Gareth to go on.
'You imagine stepping out of the dressing room, where you perhaps have a two
or three-hour day, and then suddenly you are into management and you have to
eat, breathe, sleep, drink it.
'For him to find time during the season to progress, it's a bit of a
nonsense. There is no fast-tracking.'
