THE role of agents in Christian Ziege's contentious transfer from Middlesbrough to Liverpool prompted the Premier League to level charges against the German international.

As exclusively revealed in Northern Echo Sport yesterday, both Liverpool and Ziege have been given 14 days to respond to charges that they were in breach of Premier League rules when the player, now with Tottenham, made a £5.5m move to Anfield at the start of last season.

In an unprecedented step by the Premier League, Liverpool have been charged with making an illegal approach to Ziege, who was one season into a five-year deal with Boro when he took legal action to enforce a get-out clause in his contract stipulating he was free to talk to any club offering £5m or more for his signature.

The Premier League began making inquiries following a complaint by Boro about the conduct of Liverpool and Ziege.

Boro believe the 29-year-old wing-back, who joined Spurs this summer in a £4m deal, played a pivotal role in engineering his departure from Teesside.

Now, following a ten-month investigation, League officials have pressed charges after gathering what they believe is sufficient evidence, some of which has been supplied by Boro.

A Premier League spokesman said yesterday: "The charge against Ziege is based on the conduct of agents acting on his behalf, and negotiations that took place with Liverpool.''

Bitter Boro felt badly let down by Ziege, having agreed the escape clause in his contract on "compassionate grounds'' following the unhappy spell he and his family endured with AC Milan before a £4m switch to the Riverside Stadium.

Boro chief executive Keith Lamb yesterday welcomed the Premier League's decision. He said: "We are pleased that, after a very thorough and detailed investigation, the Premier League and its legal advisors share the same view as Middlesbrough FC, that there was a serious breach of League regulations prior to the enforced transfer of Christian Ziege to Liverpool.

"Hopefully, these investigations will unearth the true facts and those responsible will be dealt with by the football authorities.''

Liverpool restricted themselves to a brief statement, but it is understood they are privately seething and have placed the matter in the hands of their lawyers.

An Anfield spokesman said: "As far as we understand, Liverpool have not been found guilty of anything.'