Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready to beat a host of Premiership rivals for Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque.
Southgate, working in Germany as an ITV pundit, has made the £3.5million-rated Fulham midfielder his top target for the new season.
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has used his coach Lee Clark to try and tempt the French ace to St James' Park this summer.
But Boro have now joined the race and Southgate hopes their exploits in last season's UEFA Cup will help persuade him.
West Ham and Everton are also interested in the 26-year-old French ace. But Roeder is away this week starting his UEFA Pro Licence course at Warwick University and Southgate could use that to his advantage.
Southgate, working in Germany as an ITV pundit, has made the £3.5million-rated Fulham midfielder his top target for the new season.
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has used his coach Lee Clark to try and tempt the French ace to St James' Park this summer.
But Boro have now joined the race and Southgate hopes their exploits in last season's UEFA Cup will help persuade him.
West Ham and Everton are also interested in the 26-year-old French ace. But Roeder is away this week starting his UEFA Pro Licence course at Warwick University and Southgate could use that to his advantage.
