MIDDLESBROUGH yesterday admitted taking a calculated risk with the club record £8.15m signing of Italy striker Massimo Maccarone.

Boro believe they have completed something of a coup by capturing 22-year-old Maccarone from under the noses of the Serie A elite.

Roma and Juventus were both on the trail of the Empoli hitman, but Boro moved quickly to agree a fee after first-team coach Steve Harrison ran the rule over Maccarone at this summer's UEFA Under-21 Championships in Switzerland.

With manager Steve McClaren still on a family holiday in Spain, it was left to Harrison and Boro chief executive Keith Lamb to explain the background to the deal.

Maccarone last season helped to fire Empoli to promotion to Serie A, but now he has to make the transition to the Premiership.

Harrison acknowledged: "I think there's a percentage of a gamble in every signing.

"We like to think we're signing quality and with quality, the gamble is lessened.

"What we have to be with Massimo is patient. It'll take him a little time to settle, but he's certainly got all the ingredients.

"We knew he was a coveted player throughout Europe and were led to believe there was a lot of interest in him among Serie A clubs.

"Steve, Keith and the board felt it was well worth jumping in sooner rather than later.

"The goals he'd scored for Empoli had opened a lot of eyes in Italy and I'm sure one of the big boys would have taken him. So we see this signing as a coup.''

Maccarone has asked to take the No 9 shirt vacated by skipper Paul Ince, who quit Boro last week on a Bosman transfer.

Harrison revealed: "I saw Massimo score two great goals against England at the Under-21 Championships.

"Scoring goals is his art. He wants to where the No 9 shirt which is a lovely thing. It shows his hunger for goals.

"His movement in the box is good, he's sharp, brave and strong. The movement of Italian strikers, like Francesco Totti, is second to none and that's what struck me about Massimo.''

Harrison believes Maccarone will learn from Boro's Alen Boksic - but also put pressure on the Croatia striker.

"He can learn from Alen, but Massimo has been brought in to add to the squad,'' said Harrison. "He will bring healthy competition.''

Maccarone has signed a five-year deal and Lamb scotched reports that Roma had agreed a clause guaranteeing first option to buy him after one season in England.

"It's absolutely untrue to say there's a clause in his contract about moving after a year to another Italian club,'' said Lamb.

With Boro "certain'' of securing Brazilian Juninho's third spell on Teesside, Lamb spoke of the prospect of more signings in time for the start of the new season.

"We are speaking to Juninho, the talks are continuing and an announcement will be made in due course,'' said Lamb.

"Juninho was very comfortable here on both occasions he was here before.

"He's expressed a love of the club and I'm certain we will be able to persuade him to come back.

"We have other targets and we're in discussions with their clubs. We're confident we'll achieve our objectives throughout the summer and the squad will be stronger. Perhaps there'll be another two signings.''

One of those could be Aston Villa's George Boateng, who is seen as the type of combative midfielder Boro need to replace Ince.

Boro also yesterday confirmed their new three-year shirt sponsorship deal with mobile phone specialist Dial-a-Phone, but refused to reveal what the agreement was worth.

"It's a significant deal involving a very substantial sum of money,'' said Lamb.

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