Middlesbrough will make a concerted effort to sign two top class strikers this summer after setting their sights on Mark Viduka, Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Patrick Kluivert.
Boro travelled to Barcelona last week to register their interest in Dutch international Kluivert, although any move is at an embryonic stage.
However, Leeds hitman Viduka and Portsmouth's Yakubu, who scored four times in a 5-1 demolition of Boro at Fratton Park on the final day of the season, are
perhaps more realistic targets.
Chief executive Keith Lamb will be the man to do the negotiations with manager Steve McClaren currently away with England and he is confident that they will
get their men as they prepare for a first ever European campaign.
"We've identified our targets and it's true that Kluivert is one of them, though that's still at an early stage," he said.
"But we also have an interest in Mark Viduka and Aiyegbeni Yakubu.
"The chairman and I have discussed with the manager who we would like to bring in and we are in regular contact as we look to make progress with our targets.
"These things take time and progress is sometimes slow, especially at this time of year. But we're confident that we will sign two strikers in the not too distant future.
"Our objective is to get them in long before the playing squad return for pre-season training in early July.
"Progress is slow at the moment - that's because it's the traditional holiday period for players - but we expect things to start happening in a couple of weeks' time."
Boro's need for a striker is no secret after a season during which they won the Carling Cup but had no player reach double figures in terms of goals.
That fact was reflected in a disappointing Premiership finish as McClaren's men had to make do with 11th place after threatening at one point to break into the top six.
Having seen Emile Heskey join Birmingham and Alan Smith head for Manchester United, the Teessiders have whittled down their list and will now set about the
task of trying to make progress.
Their interest in Kluivert in particular has set tongues wagging excitedly, although there are many hurdles to be cleared before they could even consider bringing him to the Riverside Stadium.
Availability is no problem after Barca decided this week to release him along with compatriots Marc Overmars, Phillip Cocu and Michael Reiziger, but his wage demands might.
The former Ajax and AC Milan player earns a reported £90,000 a week, way above the limits imposed during McClaren's reign.
In addition, there will be competition both home and around Europe, although Boro proved last summer when they managed to lure Gaizka Mendieta to the north
east that they are not afraid of that.
"I don't think our interest in Patrick Kluivert is a secret now," said Lamb.
"Steve McClaren and Steve Gibson have made it well known that we are in the
hunt for quality strikers and Kluivert falls into that bracket.
"He is the sort of player that would excite the fans and fill the stadium for
what is an important season for the club.
"We do have an interest in him, but any potential deal is still at a very
early stage. It's difficult to progress it at present as the player is preparing
for the European Championships with Holland.
"But we have started and we will try to move it forward in the near
future."
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook
