Gibson defends Alves swoop

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has defended the club’s decision to smash its transfer record to land striker Afonso Alves.

Boro paid Heerenveen £12.7m for the Brazilian in January last year, and after seeing him score six goals in six Barclays Premier League appearances as the 2007-08 season drew to a close, had high hopes for the new campaign.