JUNINHO will not kick another ball in anger for Middlesbrough until the new year.

Boro are this morning facing up to the prospect of being without the fans' favourite for six months while his cruciate knee ligament injury heals.

The £3.8m capture from Atletico Madrid is due to see a specialist this week, but it is understood the Teessiders are already fearing the worst.

It is a massive blow to manager Steve McClaren, who only signed the attacking midfielder a week ago and was hoping Juninho's creativity in the final third would boost Boro's goal tally.

It is thought McClaren was planning to play Juninho just behind the strikers.

But now the boss will have to have a rethink ahead of this Saturday's Premiership opener at Southampton.

McClaren may now have to play with an orthodox four in midfield following the World Cup winner's injury.

It is unlikely the former Manchester United number two will be able to buy a quick-fix replacement for the Brazilian after spending more than £19m already this summer.

Loanee Geremi, George Boateng, Massimo Maccarone and Franck Queudrue have all sealed moves to the Riverside.

But if McClaren opts to play with an attacking midfielder, Brazilian Juninho's time on the sidelines could hand Argentinian Carlos Marinelli the chance to impress the manager.

Marinelli will be keen to stake a claim to fill the hole, after falling out of favour towards the end of last season.

Marinelli has not started a match for McClaren since the FA Cup win over Blackburn on February 16.

But the ex-Boca Juniors wonder-kid will face stiff competition from Noel Whelan, Szilard Nemeth, Alen Boksic and Joseph Desire Job.

Juninho, who is on crutches, injured his left knee during the club's pre-season Errea Cup game in Italy against Modena - an unwanted match organised by the shirt makers.

Meanwhile, one player who will not be arriving at Boro is centre-back Jacob Laursen.

Leicester boss Micky Adams claimed at the weekend that Laursen was due on Teesside for talks about a move back to the Premiership.

Adams - who has farmed the unwanted player out on loan to PAOK Salonika, Aarhus and Wolves - believed it was almost a done deal.

He said: "We have given Jacob permission to speak to Middlesbrough. The rest is down to Jacob and Middlesbrough."

But Boro boss McClaren, already well stocked with centre-backs - denied any interest in the Dane.

"It's absolute rubbish," he said. "I don't know where that story came from but it isn't right."

Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu, Gianluca Festa, Jason Gavin and Colin Cooper are all competing for just two places, and Franck Queudrue and Stuart Parnaby can both play there.

Another Boro defender, Robbie Stockdale, has been joined in the Scotland squad by teammate Allan Johnston.

The pair have been named in the 24-man Scotland party to face Denmark in a friendly, before taking on the Faroe Islands in their first European Championship 2004 Qualifier on September 7.

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