MIDDLESBROUGH yesterday welcomed Cameroon striker Joseph-Desire Job after finally nailing suggestions that Duncan Ferguson could be a cut-price target.

Boro tried to sign Ferguson before he joined Newcastle from Everton in an £8m deal more than 18 months ago.

Since then, Boro have been persistently linked with the big Scot while he has fought against a catalogue of injury problems.

But Newcastle boss Bobby Robson this week insisted that Ferguson is not for sale and Boro No 2 Viv Anderson yesterday stressed: "We've not made any new enquiries about Duncan Ferguson - we're not even interested. It's dead in the water.''

Job, 22, has joined Boro from French side Lens on a ten-day trial with a view to a possible £3m move.

Anderson expects Job to at least have some fun at Boro, especially with maverick midfielder Paul Gascoigne.

EchoSPORT revealed Boro's interest in Job two months ago, and Anderson said: "He's a centre-forward and a bit like Frederic Kanoute who went to West Ham.

"Ray Train and Gordon McQueen watched Job for us last season and liked what they saw. He's got a lot of potential and a bit of a pedigree already because he's played in a World Cup and the Champions' League.

"We'll have to see how he does here in this environment - it might be difficult for him to deal with people like Paul Gascoigne!''

Anderson confirmed that Boro had checked on Job's Lens teammate, Ghanaian midfielder Alex Nyarko, who is a £4m-plus target for Everton. "We saw Nyarko, but he's one we didn't pursue,'' said Anderson.

Boro have made two summer signings, £2.1m midfielder Christian Karembeu and Bosman-free capture Paul Okon, and Anderson added: "We're still plugging away and we hope to bring in three more new faces before the start of the season. If we can get just one of them, we'll be delighted.

"We're obviously looking for another striker - most Premiership clubs have four or five - and we're also looking for another defender.''

Boro's Colombian striker Hamilton Ricard had been linked with Lens, prompting speculation that he could move in exchange for Job, but Anderson insisted: "Nobody here is going anywhere.

"The more players we've got to choose from the better. We don't need to sell anyway.

"We just want to strengthen the squad. We hope to improve on last season and get into the top six.

"Our aim was always to get into Europe and we were disappointed that we finished 12th after ending up ninth the year before.''

l Charlton have signed Middlesbrough goalkeeper Ben Roberts on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling. The 25-year-old has signed a three-year deal and admitted: ''It's a big move for me having been born and bred in the North-East. I knew as soon as I met the manager I wanted to come here.''