STEVE McClaren refused to dismiss suggestions Middlesbrough had sealed a £6.5m deal for Portsmouth hitman Aiyegbeni Yakubu, writes Matt Westcott.

With the Boro boss admitting the club "had big plans" for the summer, the names of those possibly heading for Teesside have begun to circulate, with the Nigerian top of the hit-list.

Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric said in March that there had been dialogue between the clubs but added: "Nothing has been agreed because the transfer window is shut so legally we cannot buy or sell."

Yesterday, Mandaric would only say: "There are some clubs interested and it's possible we could lose him."

When put on the spot about a possible deal for the 22-year-old McClaren said: "He is playing for Portsmouth isn't he tomorrow? Any speculation is pure speculation and we won't comment on it until the close season."

McClaren also denied any suggestion that the club's current crop of stars might head for pastures new if Boro fail to qualify for Europe.

"This is an ambitious club, an exciting club and whether we get into Europe or not we have got big plans for the summer," he said. "There has been progress this season, there is no doubt about that, and we have to keep it going forward. The best players we have got, we need to keep. We need to invest, we need to make sure that we achieve our target which is eventually becoming a top-six side."

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