Boro given green light over Ziege claim

Middlesbrough have been given the green light to pursue their claim for compensation from Liverpool over Christian Ziege’s acrimonious switch to Anfield.

Boro believe Liverpool made an illegal approach to the German prior to offering £5.5m (€8.6m) for his services in August 2000. Ziege had a clause in his contract which allowed him to move if a club offered that sum of money.

They are seeking £2.5m (€3.9m) from Liverpool but failed in a High Court case in May.

Now the appeal court have given Boro permission to question that judgement, although Liverpool too can appeal against yesterday’s judgement.

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb claimed Liverpool signed “a very valuable footballer at less than his value on the open market”.

He also blamed Ziege’s departure on Boro’s subsequent troubles and the departure of manager Bryan Robson.

He added: “We were never able to replace him. The season started badly and went from bad to worse. Eventually it cost Bryan Robson, Viv Anderson and Gordon McQueen their jobs.”