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Boro target Hoyte as Young replacement

13/08/2008

Middlesbrough have made their "best offer" for Arsenal full-back Justin Hoyte as they bid to replace Luke Young.

Young was sold to Aston Villa last week for £6 million, just one year after arriving at the Riverside.

Hoyte, 23, should be available for half that amount.

"We have made Arsenal an offer which we feel is fair. We're not negotiating and we're not falling out with Arsenal if they don't accept the bid," Boro chairman Steve Gibson told the club's official website.

"Arsenal are a good club to deal with and we're both doing business the right way, if they accept the bid then great, if not then we move on."

Defending the deal to sell England full-back Young, Gibson added: "The deal we did for Luke Young was right for the club. We were happy with it, Villa were happy it and the player was happy with it.

"It's about what we do with the money. We know that Young has to be replaced but we're not just looking for a right-back. With that sort of fee we ask ourselves, 'Can it improve the squad?'"

Boro boss Gareth Southgate has already brought in Dutch striker Dider Degard and French midfielder Marvin Emnes, and Gibson said more arrivals were likely.

"We'd like to make one or two more additions to the squad but we're not looking for major changes to the squad," he explained.

"So we've had major change and now we're looking to add one or two more to what we feel is a good squad."