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MIDDLESBROUGH v WEST HAM - SOUTHGATE: EVERY PLAYER HAS HIS PRICE
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has admitted every player has his price as the transfer merry-go-round gears up to swing into action once again.
The 37-year-old will attempt to strengthen his squad once again next month having seen his club issue a hands-off warning to Everton and Tottenham, who have been linked with moves for Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson respectively.
However, as he prepared his players for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with West Ham at the Riverside Stadium, Southgate admitted that there is a point at which every player, even at the biggest club, becomes available.
He said: "Historically over the last five years or so, we have hardly sold a player. I do not necessarily think that is healthy.
"We have sold a couple of players in the last 18 months and that has been important because any club has to generate its own income to a degree.
"If you look at the top clubs, yes, they are seen as buying clubs, but they keep the coffers swelled by selling at the right time and selling people they feel are the right ones to move on for the right sort of money.
"We certainly don't have to sell and as with all these things, there are some players of whom internally you would say you would be loath to sell at any price.
"Certainly Stewart and Adam would be pretty close to falling into that category.
"It would be folly to say a player is not for sale at any price because at any club in the world, any player has a price at a certain time.
"But we are certainly not looking to move either of those two on, that's for sure."
Boro, however, do not expect to offload any significant members of a small squad next month after banking £11.25million from Ayegbeni Yakubu's summer switch to Everton, and will instead look to recruit - but only at the right price.
Southgate has been linked with moves for Liverpool striker Peter Crouch and Tottenham counterpart Jermain Defoe, although he denies having done so already.
However, chairman Steve Gibson is understood to be ready to back him once again with the cash to recruit the men he wants.
Southgate said: "We want to strengthen if we possibly can because we want to do that at all times, and we certainly don't because we have had a couple of results, think there doesn't need to be any improvement.
"Whatever the scenario had been, we are very conscious we have to do the right thing and get the right players through the door at the right figures."
In the meantime, Boro will look to continue their recent revival by clinching a third successive victory as the Hammers head north.
They will have to do so without the suspended Fabio Rochemback and possibly fellow midfielder Gary O'Neil, who has a hamstring problem, but Julio Arca could finally return.
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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