Southgate denies Douala interest
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has dismissed renewed speculation that he is set to swoop for Sporting Lisbon winger Roudolphe Douala.
Reports from Portugal at the weekend suggested Southgate was ready to revive his interest in a man who had been vigorously pursued by predecessor Steve McClaren.
But Southgate, who pulled the plug on a deal which had been set up ready for the new manager’s approval within days of taking over from McClaren, is adamant nothing has changed.
He told the club’s official website, www.mfc.co.uk: “I’m not pursuing an interest in him. He’s a good player, but not somebody I’m looking at bringing in.”
Douala, 27, first attracted Boro’s interest after he and Fabio Rochemback were instrumental in Sporting’s victory over them in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup two seasons ago.
The Teessiders worked hard last summer to set up a deal to bring both men to the Riverside Stadium but, although they landed the Brazilian, they were unable to seal a deal to capture the Cameroon international.
Southgate appears to have turned his attention to Fulham’s Steed Malbranque, who is also a major target for north east rivals Newcastle.
However, the Magpies’ sights are currently elsewhere following Michael Owen’s latest injury woes.
Southgate has already secured a verbal agreement with Chelsea defender Robert Huth, and will make a decision on United States international Oguchi Onyewu shortly.
However, the new manager has also been linked with an interest in Sochaux’s Senegalese defender Souleymane Diawara, once a target for Portsmouth.
Boro have already told Pompey to forget trying to re-sign £7.5m (€10.9m) striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu, and with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s future on Teesside looking increasingly unsure – his existing contract expires at the weekend – Southgate may have to turn his attention to the striking department.
