STEVE McCLAREN insists there was no dirty dealing when Jesper Blomqvist made a surprise move to Charlton Athletic instead of Middlesbrough.

The former Manchester United winger launched a furious broadside at Boro, branding them "unprofessional'', when his proposed switch to the Riverside Stadium collapsed this season.

Blomqvist, who thought he had clinched a one-year deal, rapped: "In the end, they were a bit unprofessional. You will have to ask them what happened.''

But McClaren maintains Blomqvist was a victim of circumstances - and that the £3.8m return of Juninho from Atletico Madrid ultimately cost him terms with the Teessiders.

Blomqvist has been on the first-team fringes at Charlton, making only one substitute appearance, and would welcome any chance to show McClaren, once his assistant boss at Old Trafford, what he is missing in tomorrow's televised game at The Valley.

After being released by Everton in the summer, Blomqvist impressed Boro while on trial before injury struck in a pre-season game in Austria against Italian side Udinese.

The 28-year-old Swede suffered damaged ligaments and, by the time he was fit, McClaren had forked out almost £9m on Brazilian crowd-favourite Juninho and George Boateng, who moved from Aston Villa in a £5m deal.

With Cameroon World Cup star Geremi also arriving from Real Madrid on a lucrative year's loan, McClaren found he couldn't afford Blomqvist's wages.

McClaren admitted: "It came as a surprise when Jesper went to Charlton.

"But he didn't do the dirty on us and we didn't do the dirty on him. It was unfortunate because he got injured when he was playing for us against Udinese.

"By the time he was fit, we'd spent a bit of money and signed a few players. The financial situation had changed - that's why he had a bit of a go at us when he went to Charlton.''

Ex-Boro midfielder Robbie Mustoe is another Addicks man hoping to be included in manager Alan Curbishley's plans this weekend.

Mustoe, 34, was a mainstay with Boro for 12 years and played a major role in McClaren's first season in charge.

But Mustoe was disappointed when he was only offered a one-year deal in the summer and, after a projected move to relegated Derby County fell through because of the Rams' cash crisis, he linked up with Charlton - on the same day as Blomqvist - on a short-term contract.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.