MIDDLESBROUGH have drawn up a back-up plan if bids to sign their top targets fail to materialise.

Boro are confident they can prise Ayegbeni Yakubu from Portsmouth, while they are ready to start talks with Leeds United striker Mark Viduka next week.

After being snubbed by Dutch star Patrick Kluivert, who was not willing to move to Teesside,Yakubu and Viduka have emerged as manager Steve McClaren's dream pairing next season.

There remains a lot of hard work for chief executive Keith Lamb to do before either becomes a Boro player.

But Northern Echo SPORT understands that Yakubu, in the middle of an ownership fee dispute between Portsmouth and Maccabi Haifa, is quite willing to join the Riverside club provided both clubs can agree a deal.

The Nigerian is a Pompey player and Boro would have to pay somewhere near the £6m valuation he is rated at by Fratton Park boss Harry Redknapp.

Just last month Boro chairman Steve Gibson revealed there would be a push to try to sell on a number of the club's players during the summer - including a couple of their existing strikers.

And, if Michael Ricketts can be off-loaded, that would leave a hole for a new man to arrive.

But McClaren, who missed out on Viduka in January, is keen to ensure he has a number of names to fall back on should he fail to capture his primary targets.

Agent Phil Smith claimed Boro had made contact about Leicester's Blackburn-bound striker Paul Dickov and now Wolves forward Henri Camara has been linked with the club.

The Senegalese forward, who tore Boro's defence to shreds in the Premiership match at Molineux last season, has also attracted interest from Scottish champions Celtic.

Camara, a £1.5m buy from French club Sedan, is keen to play in the top-flight after Wolves' relegation and Dave Jones' men would be looking to make a sizeable profit from any sale.

The player's agent Willie McKay said: "Celtic are keen on Henri and are not the only ones. There are a number of clubs looking at Henri, including Bolton, Blackburn, Charlton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth. He has a lot to consider."

Meanwhile, Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is not expected to play in Australia's two games with Vanuatu, today, or the Solomon Islands on Sunday.

Schwarzer has already had to watch the Socceroos' first three Confederation Cup matches after injuring his hip in a nightmare match with Turkey on May 21.

But the highly-rated No 1 is backing his side to make progress and he would love his country to book a place in the World Cup by lifting the trophy.

"Last time we played in the Confederations Cup we slipped up against New Zealand, but it's important to us to qualify for the final as it's the only other competition we can qualify for other than the World Cup," said Schwarzer.

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