MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren last night revealed he is still hoping to bring Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke to the club.
After being gazumped in the race to sign Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan last week by United, Yorke is now McClaren's primary target.
Boro are in desperate need of goals after slipping into the Premiership's bottom three and the Trindad and Tobago international is seen as the solution.
McClaren is expected to hold talks with the player tomorrow, when United make the trip to Teesside in the fourth round of the FA Cup. But it is thought that the stumbling block is over the valuation of Yorke, who turned 30 in November, and Sunderland are also monitoring the situation.
Boro are reported to have offered around £6m, while the Red Devils are holding out for a fee of £7m for a player who cost United £12.6m from Aston Villa in August 1998.
And McClaren admitted yesterday: "We're still pursuing an interest in Dwight, as we have in other players. We've not reached an agreement so it's still ongoing."
The move has already been backed by Yorke's former teammate at Villa Park Ugo Ehiogu, but another ex-Villan now at Boro, believes the club should use the cautious approach.
Gareth Southgate, who left the Midlands club for the North-East in the summer for £6.5m, insists that the addition of Yorke would be a huge benefit to Boro.
But he believes that the deal should be right for all concerned - not just Sir Alex Ferguson's champions. "The finances of football now at lots of clubs are that people want to make sure they're paying the right price for people," said Southgate, who had Liverpool, West Ham and Chelsea interested in his signature.
"And that's exactly what happened with me because people felt that the fee was going to be too high for them.
"Clubs have got to cut their cloth, and you have to make sure that whatever they're investing in is proven. Dwight is a player that clearly the manager has declared an interest in, and he would be an asset to the club.
"But it's a situation where the clubs have to agree something and then Dwight has to decide whether he wants to come here. Until it happens, it's not really worth speculating about.
''What you have to be very careful about is that Dwight is contracted to Manchester United.
''I would be delighted if he was to come here, but as I say, he's contracted to another club and until things are agreed, I don't think it's right to talk about it.
''It's apparent to everybody that the manager and the chairman are looking to strengthen, the same as any club is, and as and when the right people become available at the right price, then I'm sure they'll do that.
''But I think it's the same for any club. Every club has to be careful in the way they invest and unless they feel that everything is right for the football club, then they'll wait until the timing is right."
Meanwhile, McClaren has indicated that he does not expect to have top scorer Alen Boksic fit for the FA Cup tie.
The Croatian has not started since the 3-0 defeat at Newcastle on Boxing Day after suffering from flu and then picking up a calf strain.
And McClaren, who has Paul Ince ruled out for one match through suspension, said: "Alen Boksic is nearly joining in training. I think Saturday is a little too early. I think we're looking at Tuesday (against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light) with him.
"Phil Stamp is the same. He missed the game last Saturday because of his ankle injury, he's just going to be a bit short, I think. I'm also not sure about Szilard Nemeth who was injured in the same game.
Read more about the Boro here.
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