JUVENTUS were last night preparing to test Massimo Maccarone's desire to stay at Middlesbrough by putting together a £12m move for the striker.

Maccarone and Boro have repeatedly insisted that the Italy international will not be leaving Teesside at the end of the season.

But Juve, who are resigned to losing David Trezeguet next summer, want Maccarone to replace the France striker.

They value Maccarone, who cost Middlesbrough a club record £8.15m in July, at around £12m - roughly a third of the price they would receive for Trezeguet.

But any attempt to prise the 22-year-old, who has also been watched by Inter Milan this season, away from the Riverside would be met with stern resistance from Steve McClaren.

Juventus could have signed Maccarone in the summer, but they would not meet Empoli's asking price for the forward.

As Juventus renewed their interest in Maccarone, his Middlesbrough teammate Alen Boksic confessed his goal drought has begun to worry him.

Boksic, who has not scored in eight appearances this season, admitted: "It is starting to play on my mind."

Bill Beswick yesterday saluted Middlesbrough's players for embracing the Riverside revolution and insisted the secret to their impressive start to the season was all in the mind.

The Boro assistant manager, who is a sports psychologist, is watching his side reap the rewards after he helped to sweep away the fear factor at Boro.

Beswick said: "The players cannot see themselves getting beaten and that's a wonderful state to be in.

"One of the biggest things with this team is its lack of fear.

"I've said to the coaches that, if we have any anxiety among ourselves, we mustn't let the players see it."

* Newcastle United midfielder Stuart Green is poised to complete a £150,000 move to Hull City after impressing in his loan spell with the Third Division club.

While Green, 21, has failed to force his way into the Newcastle first team, he has done well enough at Hull to be offered a three-year contract.

Hull manager Peter Taylor said: "Stuart has really impressed me since I came to the club and I think he's an excellent prospect.

"We're talking to Newcastle and we're trying to sort something out."

As Green looks set to move on, striker Michael Chopra is hoping to celebrate his new three-year contract by putting one over Everton wunderkind Wayne Rooney.

Chopra, 18, is likely to make his Newcastle debut against Everton in the Worthington Cup next Wednesday.

He said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have signed a new contract.

"I am very ambitious, as is the club, and we have shown over the past year that we are capable of winning honours and competing at the highest level."