BOLO Zenden will travel to Anfield for formal contract talks on Monday rather than join the rest of the Middlesbrough squad for the start of pre-season training.

While Boro's players check in at Rockliffe Park for a fitness assessment, Zenden will be on Merseyside thrashing out the details of a proposed move to Liverpool.

The Dutch international, who has already held informal discussions with the European champions, becomes a free agent when his current contract expires tomorrow.

Liverpool have been unable to make a formal approach for his services while he has been contracted to Middlesbrough, but boss Rafael Benitez will hold face-to-face talks with the 28-year-old at the start of next week.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson has already made his final offer to the midfielder and is adamant he will not become embroiled in a bidding war.

Zenden has turned down Gibson's offer - his father and agent, Pierre, branded it "derisory" - but, even if the Teessiders were to come up with more cash, the former Chelsea and Barcelona star is set on a move to Anfield.

"Money is not an issue for Boudewijn," claimed Zenden senior. "Where the club stands in terms of Champions League or UEFA Cup is really important.

"He is a free agent on Friday but we expect to be able to announce something early next week."

Zenden made 49 appearances for Middlesbrough last season - more than any other player - and quickly adapted to a new role at the heart of midfield following Stewart Downing's emergence on the left wing.

Ironically, his first Premiership appearance for his new club is likely to be at the Riverside as Liverpool will travel to Middlesbrough on the opening day of the new campaign.

Zenden's departure leaves a gap in midfield but boss Steve McClaren is hopeful of plugging it within the next week with the capture of Juventus' Stephen Appiah.

The Ghana international is keen on a move to the Premiership but Middlesbrough have been frustrated by Juventus' unwillingness to budge on their valuation of the 24-year-old.

The Italian side have told Boro they will have to pay £4m but the Teessiders are reluctant to pay anything like that amount.

Gibson is hopeful of securing a compromise agreement when he holds further talks with Juventus officials later this week, with the possibility of an initial loan deal likely to be discussed.

Boro would like to take Appiah for a season before holding further talks over a permanent transfer next summer.

Juventus have always been reluctant to let the midfielder leave on loan but will agree to the proposal rather than having to sanction his sale for a cut-price fee.

The future of another midfielder should also be sorted out later this week, with Doriva set to sign a new one-year deal at the Riverside.

The Brazilian, who is also out of contract tomorrow, is expected to put pen to paper within the next 24 hours.

He was behind both Zenden and George Boateng in the midfield pecking order last season yet still made 38 appearances as Boro were beset by injury problems.

* Middlesbrough will look to exact some revenge on their UEFA Cup conquerors Sporting Lisbon when they play in a four-team tournament on the Algarve at the end of next month.

Boro will play last season's UEFA Cup finalists in Portimao on Friday, July 29 (ko 9.15pm).

The winners of the game will then play either Spanish Primera Liga side Real Betis or Portuguese outfit Vitoria Setubal at Faro's Algarve Stadium on Saturday, July 30 (9.15pm). Should Boro lose to Sporting, they would play the loser of the Betis v Setubal game in the same stadium two hours earlier.

Sporting dumped Middlesbrough out of the UEFA Cup at the last 16 stage, winning 3-2 at the Riverside and 1-0 at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. Setubal finished tenth in the Portuguese top-flight last term, while Real Betis were fourth in La Liga.

* Players' union boss Gordon Taylor has warned of a potential ''farce'' next season if footballers continue to face the threat of court action for their conduct on the pitch.

Taylor is concerned by the case of Lee Bowyer, who has been summoned to appear before magistrates in Newcastle to face an allegation under the Public Order Act following an on-pitch incident with team-mate Kieron Dyer in April.

Bowyer has yet to appear in court while his legal team are still planning a High Court judicial review of the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to take action against the midfielder.

Taylor fears Bowyer could suffer from ''triple jeopardy", in that he was fined £228,000 by Newcastle and hit with a seven-match ban and a £30,000 fine by the Football Association before the CPS intervened.

He is now concerned that police and the courts will become increasingly involved in on-pitch incidents next season, rather than leaving matters to the football authorities.

''If every incident on the pitch leads to a charge that would lead to a farce and block up all legal proceedings,'' said Taylor, the PFA chief executive.

''The police and the CPS should be doing their best to make sure that the streets are as safe as possible to walk down."

Read more about Middlesbrough here.