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Three depart Boro
FABIO Rochemback will re-join
Sporting Lisbon this week after
Middlesbrough decided not to
offer the Brazilian midfielder a
new contract.
The 26-year-old's three-year
deal expires on June 30 and after
holding talks with Boro boss
Gareth Southgate, it was mutually
agreed that Rochemback
would move on.
And after arriving in Portugal
for a medical yesterday, Rochemback
is expected to sign a threeyear
deal with former club
Sporting Lisbon.
The midfielder spent two
years on loan at Sporting from
Spanish giants Barcelona, where
he appeared in the UEFA Cup
final before joining Middlesbrough
for an undisclosed fee in
2005. In his first season on
Teesside he appeared in his second
successive European final as
Boro were beaten by Seville in
the UEFA Cup final.
Rochemback played 91 games
for the Teessiders, scoring seven
goals, including a brilliant freekick
in what turned out to be his
last game for the club against
Manchester City on Sunday.
Boro had an option to extend
Rochemback's contract by a further
two years but Southgate has
decided against that option.
After bringing to an end his
three-year stay on Teesside, the
former Brazil international
hopes to wrap up his move back
to the Estadio Jose Alvalade
later this week.
"I am optimistic," Rochemback
said after arriving at Lisbon
airport yesterday. "I am
happy to be able to return to Lisbon.
I was always wanted in
Sporting and it feels like home."
Despite what was arguably
Rochemback's most impressive
season at the Riverside Stadium,
Southgate believes it is best that
the midfielder moves on.
"We both feel that the time is
right for Fabio to have a fresh
challenge," said the Boro boss.
"He is a talented footballer
and I think he's just had his best
season for us, while it was fitting
that he should bow out with
probably his best performance
in a Middlesbrough shirt."
It has also been confirmed
that, as expected, Gaizka Mendieta
and Dong Gook Lee have
been released.
Mendieta failed to appear for
Boro last season, while Lee has
been a flop since joining the club
in January 2007.
Former Lazio and Barcelona
midfielder Mendieta spent the
entire 2007/08 campaign playing
for the reserves, after turning
down the chance to leave. His
last first-team appearance came
against Everton on Boxing Day
2006.
Boro have offered one-year extensions
to Tony McMahon and
Tom Craddock.
McMahon is highly thought of
by the backroom staff and despite
struggling with injuries for
the last two years the right-back
is back in the first-team reckoning
after making his first appearance
of the season as a 75th
minute substitute against City.
10:56am Wednesday 14th May 2008
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