Middlesbrough's new signing Dean Windass is urging his manager to snap up his old strike partner Benito Carbone before other big clubs get their hands on him.

Windass believes his former Bradford teammate will be itching for a transfer after the Yorkshire side failed to avoid relegation from the Premiership.

And he believes that the diminutive Italian could be just the spark Boro need to light up their attack.

He said: "Benito Carbone is a great talent, the best player I've ever played with. He can make goals and score them and is far too good for the First Division. He would be a good buy for Middlesbrough."