MIDDLESBROUGH and Liverpool yesterday called off their High Court battle over Christian Ziege's controversial move to Anfield after Premier League chairman Dave Richards acted as peacemaker in the dispute.

The clubs were due to meet each other across the courtroom a week on Monday at the start of a landmark lawsuit.

Boro were claiming £7m-plus damages from their Premiership rivals over the signing of German international Ziege.

Liverpool became the first Premiership club to be found guilty of making an illegal approach to a player when Ziege joined them for £5.5m in August 2000.

The Anfield club were fined £20,000 in March 2002 by a Premier League commission, who also punished Ziege with a £10,000 fine.

Ziege, who joined Tottenham in a £4m deal after only one season on Merseyside, activated an escape clause in his Boro contract to clinch his move to Liverpool.

But Boro claimed Liverpool had obtained information about the confidential buy-out, which allowed Ziege to leave if a minimum £5.5m offer was received.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson last month told Northern Echo Sport: "We expect to win - and we will win.''

But it is understood Liverpool had been attempting to settle with Boro and avert court proceedings.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier was expected to be among those called to give evidence.

But the two clubs and the Premier League last night issued a statement, which read: "Middlesbrough and Liverpool football clubs announce a satisfactory resolution of the High Court action launched by Middlesbrough against Liverpool and Mr Ziege over the player's transfer from Middlesbrough to Liverpool in August 2000.

"The decision follows discussions between the two clubs and Mr Ziege instigated by the FA Premier League.

"Details of the settlement are confidential and no further comment will be made by any of the parties.''

But a source last night told Northern Echo Sport: "The chairman of the Premier League brought the two parties together this week to thrash it out. The statement is a reflection of both sides wanting to draw a line under the matter.''

Boro's hopes of pursuing their claim were initially dashed in May 2002 when a High Court judge threw out the case.

But they successfully challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal six months later.

Boro had maintained that Ziege's true market value at the time of his transfer was £7.5m and that they received offers of that amount from Rangers and Chelsea.

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