NORWEGIAN Under-21 star Morten Gamst Pedersen has indicated he is as willing as ever to join Middlesbrough.

Pedersen had a ten-day trial at Boro in November but manager Steve McClaren would not consider doing a deal for the 20-year-old until he had seen him in match action.

Northern Echo Sport revealed on Wednesday how the Riverside chief had his European scout, Don Mackay, watch the left-midfielder in action earlier this week.

And Pedersen has told his agent, Neil Harrowell, that he is pleased that McClaren has revived his interest in him.

"Morten was very happy to see that Boro were back in for him," said Harrowell. "Morten has progressed a lot during the Norwegian close season and he is now as strong as ever.

"He is playing well and feeling good."

Pedersen would cost around £1m and he has made a name for himself at Tromso despite the club being relegated from the Norwegian top-flight last season.

The winger, who possesses a tremendous free-kick, scored two goals in his club's first League game against Sandjeford last weekend.

Meanwhile, Boro boss McClaren insists the self-belief and determination in his side's dressing room has been the major reason why the club have enjoyed such a turnaround.

The Teessiders lost their opening four Premiership matches, as the former Manchester United No 2 had to quickly adapt to the tough task he had on his hands.

However, despite battling against relegation for much of his first season as a top-flight boss McClaren's men have reached an FA Cup semi-final and lost just four out of 21 games in 2002.

And the Boro chief insists that he has been delighted with how the players have reacted since their abysmal start under his leadership.

"Within the last three or four months certainly I've been pleased with it," he said.

"The first three or four months were difficult because we were putting things into place and sorting things out.

"We've done that and we have now got a settled squad and a team.

"Once you've done that and achieved that then you should be able to start to get results and that's what we have started to do.

"I think that defeat to Arsenal was only our fourth defeat in 21 games.

"We've created so much of a great atmosphere in our dressing room and that is showing through to the way the players are performing in every game.

"They compete every time they go out onto the pitch. I think we have surprised quite a few people with our performances."

McClaren, who returned to club duty yesterday after helping coach England to a 4-0 win over Paraguay at Anfield, is hoping to have top-scorer Alen Boksic fit to face Blackburn at the Riverside tomorrow.

Boksic pulled out of the Croatia squad to face Bosnia this week so that he could rest a niggling groin injury, but Boro are hopeful of having him fit.

Ugo Ehiogu, who limped out of the defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford, is definitely out with hamstring trouble. Szilard Nemeth (ankle) is also a major doubt.

Captain Paul Ince and Benito Carbone are back into the manager's thoughts after missing the Gunners clash. Ince has completed a two-match suspension and Carbone was cup-tied.

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