EIGHT days after Middlesbrough parted company with one of the best young players in England, Nick Barmby, the Teesside club may be on the verge of losing another of their big name expensive signings. It has been reported that Emerson, the Brazilian signed from Porto for £4 million less than six months ago, intends to leave, allegedly because his wife has been unable to settle in the area.

Prior to boarding a flight to Brazil Emerson is quoted as saying: "The bottom line is that my wife Andrea has found it impossible to settle in England. We both knew this within three weeks of her arriving in September.

"Bryan Robson knows of the problem but both he and the club believe Andrea and I will overcome them and report back for training next Tuesday. But I have told Boro quite clearly that I want to be released and sold as quickly as possible. They do not believe I am quite as serious as I am."

Robson is in Tenerife on holiday but Middlesbrough's chief executive Keith Lamb issued a swift rebuttal to the report. "Emerson is in Rio de Janeiro on a short holiday arranged by the club because Middlesbrough do not have a game this weekend," said Lamb.