MIDDLESBROUGH'S rising stars have been warned to 'listen to the club' rather than their advisors - or risk falling onto the football scrapheap.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson has not enjoyed the best of relationships with a number of agents in recent times.

In September he launched a stinging attack on those acting for Fulham's Sean Davis. Gibson alleged Proactive Sports Management were demanding £700,000 just to facilitate talks between the two parties - although that has been vehemently denied by PSM.

Now the Riverside chief - trying hard to secure a new striker for manager Steve McClaren before the transfer window closes on Monday - is hoping his young guns do not take too much notice of those looking after them.

After last season's FA Youth Cup final defeat to Manchester United the majority of those involved were soon picked up by agents.

And Gibson said: "Monetary reward is important in all walks of life but sporting achievement is what you are remembered for.

"Some of the emphasis has gone away from that. They have got to start listening more to the clubs and less to agents.

"I don't know what experienced footballers need an agent for. What talent do they have? I can't see any fantastic talent or intelligence. What I see is greed and the ability to influence.

"We have good, young players coming through, but they have got to listen to us.

"They could take this club forward but they have got a lot to do.

"They have got to listen to us rather than people outside or they may not keep their feet on the ground. We got to a Youth Cup final last year and within a week they all had agents."

Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb are in negotiations with a number of clubs over trying to sign a new forward before tomorrow's match at Leeds.

Preston's Ricardo Fuller is one main target but it is unlikely that Boro are prepared to meet the asking price, which is understood to have increased to £4m.

But the Teessiders are persisting to make moves in the transfer market in a bid to snap up a new forward.

Leeds' Mark Viduka is also high on the list and it has been reported that German giant Carsten Jancker, of Udinese, is another to have been considered.

Boro are also trying to seal the permanent transfer of full-back Danny Mills from Leeds.

Meanwhile, defenders Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu have handed Boro a massive boost ahead of tomorrow's visit to Leeds.

The pair missed last weekend's FA Cup defeat at Arsenal but they returned to training yesterday morning after recovering from injury.

In fact Southgate has been plagued with a hamstring problem and has not played for three matches, while Ehiogu was not risked at Highbury with a groin injury.

Young full-back Stuart Parnaby is also available after shrugging off a back injury sustained at Arsenal when he fell into a photographer's pit under a challenge from Ray Parlour on the touchline.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.