MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB is not for sale despite mounting speculation in the Spanish media linking the club with a potential takeover by a consortium featuring Singapore billionaire Peter Lim and super-agent Jorge Mendes.
A report in Spanish newspaper El Confidencial suggested that Lim and Mendes had considered a buy-out of Spanish side Atletico Madrid, but had switched their attentions to Middlesbrough after linking up with former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon.
The story, which was repeated and embellished by a number of other Spanish media outlets, went on to suggest that the trio of businessmen wanted to use Middlesbrough as a vehicle to put promising young overseas players in the shop window of the European market, and potentially pursue a tie-up with Atletico similar to the one that exists between Watford and Udinese.
However, The Northern Echo understands there is no substance to the reports, beyond the fact that Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has been in conversation with both Mendes and Kenyon this summer in an attempt to sign players from clubs in Spain, Portugal and France.
Gibson, who is not believed to have had any contact at all with Lim, has no desire to sell Middlesbrough, which he solely owns via Gibson O’Neill Company Limited, and has always insisted he would not relinquish his ownership of the club to overseas investors.
That position has not changed, indeed it is understood that the Boro chairman has been more involved than ever this summer as he attempts to overhaul the Teessiders’ squad in conjunction with manager Tony Mowbray and chief executive Neil Bausor.
With financial fair play regulations limiting the amount that can be added to the wage bill this summer, there has been a clear determination to adopt a different recruitment and scouting policy to the one that was pursued under Mowbray’s predecessor, Gordon Strachan.
There has been a concerted effort to target the continental market, and the likes of Eduardo Vargas, Borja Gonzales and Eduardo have all been discussed as potential targets this summer, along with a number of other overseas-based players.
That has resulted in Gibson and other senior Boro officials opening channels of dialogue with leading agents and brokers such as Mendes and Kenyon, but at no stage has a possible takeover of the club been discussed.
Similarly, while there is a desire to strengthen links with clubs based abroad along the lines of the tie-up that now exists between Middlesbrough and Juninho’s Brazilian club, Ituano, there is no intention to develop a co-ownership model along the lines of the agreement that resulted in a large number of Udinese players joining Watford on loan last season.
Boro’s pre-season preparations continue this afternoon when they travel to Hartlepool, and with just two weeks to go to the start of the Football League season, Mowbray will name a similarly strong side to the one that started at Morecambe on Wednesday.
Jonathan Woodgate returns to the squad after missing the trip to the Globe Arena, and he is likely to replace Ben Gibson, who impressed in Wednesday's 2-0 win.
Gibson spent the majority of last season on loan at Tranmere Rovers, but Mowbray will not be releasing him again next term as he feels he is ready to make a permanent transition to the senior squad.
“Ben’s a young guy who’s been away on loan, but we’ll keep him around this season because you can see all of the qualities he possesses,” said Mowbray. “In an ideal world, we’ll have more experienced footballers playing to help keep us at the right end of the table.
“Yet his qualities in terms of leadership and communication are there and evident for us all to see. He’s got a big future, and hopefully we’ll feed him into our team because he will undoubtedly be a first-team player here at Middlesbrough. But we need to feed him in at the right time.”
Scott McDonald has been omitted from today's squad amid mounting speculation that his time on Teesside could be nearing an end.
Millwall have registered a strong interest in the Australian, who has one year of his current contract still to run.
Meanwhile, Nicky Bailey has signed a two-year deal with Millwall following his release from Boro earlier this summer.
- Boro defender George Friend and mascot Roary the Lion will attend a free weekend of activity to celebrate the reopening of Eston Leisure Centre as part of Everyone Active’s title sponsorship of the Riverside Stadium’s Generation Red Family Zone.
Friend will be at the Leisure Centre today at 1pm, with activities continuing on both days.
Everyone Active also runs Guisborough Pool, Loftus Leisure Centre, Saltburn Leisure Centre and Redcar Leisure Centre.
