BRAZILIAN GOAL MACHINE SIGNS FOR AZ
Afonso Alves has reportedly snubbed the advances of Middlesbrough and Manchester City and agreed to move to AZ Alkmaar from Heerenveen for a club record £12m.
The 26-year-old Brazilian striker, who has scored 45 goals in only 39 league games since moving from Malmo in spring 2006, had attracted the attention of Sven-Goran Eriksson at Manchester City and Middlesbrough's Gareth Southgate.
Alves, capped eight times for his country, was actually on the verge of signing on at the Riverside in the summer, but the deal fell through at the last minute.
And Alkmaar appear to have moved quickly to tie up a deal at the start of the transfer window to ensure Boro and Manchester City will have to do without the hotshot.
Alves was top scorer in Sweden for two consecutive years before moving to Heerenveen for £3m. Last season he netted 34 times and was second only to Roma's Francisco Totti as Europe's top marksman.
In October he further impressed, scoring a magnificent seven goals in Heerenveen's 9-0 win over Heracles Almelo.
Afonso Alves has reportedly snubbed the advances of Middlesbrough and Manchester City and agreed to move to AZ Alkmaar from Heerenveen for a club record £12m.
The 26-year-old Brazilian striker, who has scored 45 goals in only 39 league games since moving from Malmo in spring 2006, had attracted the attention of Sven-Goran Eriksson at Manchester City and Middlesbrough's Gareth Southgate.
Alves, capped eight times for his country, was actually on the verge of signing on at the Riverside in the summer, but the deal fell through at the last minute.
And Alkmaar appear to have moved quickly to tie up a deal at the start of the transfer window to ensure Boro and Manchester City will have to do without the hotshot.
Alves was top scorer in Sweden for two consecutive years before moving to Heerenveen for £3m. Last season he netted 34 times and was second only to Roma's Francisco Totti as Europe's top marksman.
In October he further impressed, scoring a magnificent seven goals in Heerenveen's 9-0 win over Heracles Almelo.
