AYEGBENI YAKUBU and Mido remain expensive subjects of intense speculation surrounding possible futures at Middlesbrough, but one of manager Gareth Southgate's cheaper recruits is intent on becoming a Premier League bargain buys.

Saturday's defeat to Blackburn highlighted how Boro could do with adding a powerful forward to their ranks and Southgate remains hopeful of landing Tottenham's Egyptian striker Mido in the next few days for somewhere in the region of £7.5m.

But with Everton continuing to monitor Yakubu's situation, with a substantial £12m offer thought to be on the horizon - along with West Ham, Portsmouth and Manchester City - it is still far from certain who will provide Middlesbrough's attacking options after the transfer window closes on August 31.

Jeremie Aliadiere, however, is one and the Frenchman has designs on finally fulfilling his potential at the highest level.

And despite a failure to open his account against Blackburn, the 24-year-old feels he can provide the goals that will ensure Middlesbrough do not suffer an arduous campaign - hopefully starting at Wigan tomorrow night.

Aliadiere said: "All teams need goals and I know I can create them and take them. But there is no point talking about it, I now have to do it.

"I want to be remembered at the end of the season as a great buy by the manager and the fans. That is my aim, to show them I was worth the money and more.

"I will do that, I know I will. I am convinced I can be a success at Boro and to become a permanent player in a top Premiership side."

In eight years at Arsenal, Aliadiere managed just seven league starts and he struggled to make a name for himself amid loan moves to Celtic, West Ham and Wolves.

Having to work himself ahead of Thierry Henry proved his biggest restriction, although he still felt it was time to move on this summer when his compatriot departed for Barcelona.

Now, having felt wanted by Southgate, Aliadiere regards his switch as the transfer that will be the making of him.

"I never had the remotest doubt about leaving Arsenal and I probably should have left earlier," said the man from Rambouillet. "I was not getting any opportunity to show what I could do. The most difficult thing for a footballer is to train all week and then discover you are not even on the bench.

"At first I found this very difficult because like all footballers I want to play. I was angry and yet I never approached the manager. But by the end I just accepted it.

"Now I will get my chance and if I don't take it then it is my fault and no-one else is to blame. If I get a run of ten games and I don't play well in them then the manager has every right to drop me.

"But I never got anything like ten games at Arsenal, just a match here and there. It meant when you did actually play you were trying desperately hard, too hard, to impress.

"That is not the best way, but I was so frustrated it was the only thing I could do."

Despite only being at the Riverside for two months, it would not be wrong to suggest Aliadiere has already had more contact away from the dressing room with Southgate than he enjoyed with Arsene Wenger since arriving in north London in 1999.

"I have been very impressed with everything at Boro and in particular the manager," he said. "He is very honest and direct and he always speaks to his players. He is approachable at any time. It was not really like that at Arsenal."