Middlesbrough insist they have received no bid for striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu amid speculation his days on Teesside could be numbered.
Chief executive Keith Lamb has dismissed suggestions the club has rejected a
£10million offer for the 24-year-old Nigeria international with Portsmouth
having made no secret of their interest in taking the player back to Fratton
Park.
Boro, who today confirmed their capture of Arsenal frontman Jeremie Aliadiere
for an initial fee of £2million, have spent the summer fending off rumours that
Yakubu is unhappy at the Riverside Stadium and ready to leave.
However, it is understood that a substantial offer for the African, who has
scored 35 goals in his two season on Teesside, could persuade them to re-assess
their stance.
Manager Gareth Southgate has repeatedly spoken of his intention to keep his
best players, and earlier this week warned Everton off after reports suggested
David Moyes had identified England winger Stewart Downing as a £10million
target.
But with Yakubu having stalled on the goals front after the turn of the year
in each of the last two seasons, and six of the 16 goals he claimed during the
last campaign having come from the penalty spot, the club could be prepared to
do a deal.
It is understood Pompey have made an inquiry and been informed of Boro's
valuation, but a formal offer is yet to be made.
Aliadiere's arrival - he signed a four-year deal after successfully undergoing
a medical and is expected to be unveiled next week - should be followed soon by
that of Turkey international Tuncay Sanli.
The 25-year-old Fenerbahce frontman agreed personal terms during a visit to
Istanbul by Lamb last week and is due on Teesside for a medical.
Neither man could be regarded as a direct replacement for Mark Viduka,
although with Southgate hinting he is looking for a different emphasis by adding
pace and mobility to his frontline, he will be delighted with his business to
date.
However, there is little doubt he has a contingency plan should the Yakubu
situation develop and Boro's interest in Manchester United's Alan Smith is
perhaps evidence of that.
In addition, Southgate has made the recruitment of a right-back and a
right-sided midfielder a priority, with the defensive position particularly
pressing following the departures of Abel Xavier and Stuart Parnaby.
The club's efforts to land Trabzonspor midfielder Gokdeniz Karadeniz appear to
have stalled over the asking price and they are now looking at other targets,
although they have again denied having an interest in Chelsea's Geremi, who
spent a season on loan at the Riverside earlier in his career.
