AZ demand payment from Alves

AZ Alkmaar have demanded a payment of £5.9m from Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves after claiming he broke an agreement to join the club from Dutch rivals Heerenveen earlier this year.

AZ say Alves had agreed in principle to join them during the transfer window, but the Alkmaar club failed to reach a deal with Heerenveen by December 31 and the player instead decided to join Boro.