FENERBAHCE have emerged as unlikely rivals to Middlesbrough in the race for Cameroon star Geremi.

The move comes as Boro continue to hit a brick wall in negotiations with Real Madrid over a fee for the player. The Spanish giants are asking £9.6m for Geremi, who impressed while on a season-long loan at the Riverside.

But Boro are not prepared to pay the large fee for a midfielder who fails to command a regular first team place at the Bernabeu. Talks are said to be ongoing over the transfer of Geremi, but now Boro face competition from Fenerbahce.

The Turkish giants have recently installed German coach Christoph Daum as manager, and he has been promised money to spend.

But it is understood that Daum will also be unwilling to pay the hefty fee being demanded by Real.

The former Bayer Leverkusen chief has drawn up a transfer wish list and Geremi is thought to be high on the agenda. However, Boro boss Steve McClaren still holds the upper hand in the chase for the 24-year-old's signature.

Geremi, who has also been linked with Manchester United in the past, enjoyed his time at the Riverside and has hinted he would like to go back to Teesside. McClaren is determined to add to his squad this summer and he has revealed he will be pushing hard over the coming months to get his men.

As well as Geremi, the Boro boss is also hoping to snap up Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips along with Celta Vigo midfielder Doriva.

And McClaren admits he is desperate to bring in his targets during the close-season, he said: "It's imperative that we get them in. Next year if we don't go forward we stand still. Even if we stand still we go backwards.

"It's becoming tougher, the front two clubs have run away with it and the top five or six have established themselves. We did very well in the January window, again we looked to improve the squad and brought in young players.

"If we can get the players we want early that's always best, but it's not always possible."

There have also been suggestions that Boro are in ambitious talks to bring AC Milan's Brazilian superstar Rivaldo to the club.

It has been reported that members of the Boro hierarchy have been working on potential packages aimed at attracting the former World Footballer of the Year to join McClaren's men.

The former Barcelona man is available for nothing, but Rivaldo's demand for a £3.4m pay-off could prove a stumbling block.

Meanwhile, Boro missed out on a £100,000 cash boost yesterday when Sheffield United lost to Wolves in the First Division play-off final. Had the Blades won and clinched promotion to the Premiership they would have had to pay Boro the six figure sum for Dean Windass, who moved to Bramall Lane earlier this year.

Windass did not even make the bench at the Millennium Stadium and he is not expected to stay at Sheffield United next season.

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