MIDDLESBROUGH will allow Ugo Ehiogu to leave the Riverside despite the news Franck Queudrue will be out of action for up to eight weeks with knee ligament damage.

West Brom boss Bryan Robson, who paid £8m to bring the former Aston Villa man to Teesside in October 2000, heads the list of admirers keen to take the 33-year-old former England centre-back.

The news that Boro are open to offers for the player who began his career as a trainee at the Hawthorns comes at a time when fellow defender Queudrue is booked in to see a specialist on Monday to decide whether or not surgery is required.

The Frenchman's injury has left Boro short of options at the back and manager Steve McClaren has even recalled England Under-21 left-back Andrew Taylor from his loan spell at Bradford.

"Either way he's (Queudrue) going to be out for six to eight weeks," said McClaren

''Franck's a key player for us, so he'll be missed. He had played in every match before the Newcastle game.

"But I've recalled Andrew Taylor from Bradford as cover and he goes straight into the squad that travels to Nuneaton on Saturday.

''Andrew has done well on loan at Bradford.

"We've had some positive reports on his performances, and the experience should stand him in good stead.''

Bantams' boss Colin Todd said: "It is a massive blow to lose Andrew but we always knew there was the possibility it would happen.

"I spoke with Steve (McClaren) over Christmas and initially he was in favour of the lad staying here, but he did warn me that if he had any more injury problems he would have to review the situation.

"Andrew was a marvelous professional to deal with.

"He didn't cause us a minute's problem in the months he was with us."

Chief executive Keith Lamb recently commented that the club needed to trim its wage bill, with Ehiogu the first casualty.

He has fallen behind Gareth Southgate and Chris Riggott in the pecking order and it is understood the Boro boss has become exasperated with the former England defender's injury record.

Ehiogu has been plagued by problems over the last three seasons and has featured in only 45 league and cup fixtures.

Despite the injury to Queudrue McClaren believes he has adequate cover at centre back with Matthew Bates and David Wheater providing back up for Southgate and Riggott.

There is of course the possibility of players coming in, despite Lamb's penny-pinching comments, and the club has been recently linked with a move for Aston Villa pair Olof Mellberg and Mark Delaney.

Hackney-born Ehiogu is expected to open talks with Robson in the next 48 hours and, unless another Premiership club makes a late move, could link up with his new team-mates at the Hawthorns by the weekend.

The former Aston Villa defender began his career as a trainee with the Baggies before moving to the Villans for £40,000 in 1991.

Boro would expect only a nominal fee for the player who is the second most expensive transfer signing in the Teesside club's history.

* Derby manager Phil Brown has had pleas for on-loan striker Danny Graham to be allowed an FA Cup appearance rejected by Middlesbrough.

The 20-year-old striker joined the Rams on loan in mid-November.

Despite failing to score in seven appearances, Rams boss Brown had wanted Graham to be available for the weekend's FA Cup third-round clash with Burnley at Pride Park.

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