Alen Boksic will today become a Middlesbrough player, thanks to Paul Gascoigne.

The Croatian striker, who is expected to complete a £2.5m move from Italian champions Lazio, revealed that "Gazza told me this is a good club to play for".

The 30-year-old will join £2.5m Noel Whelan and £3m Joseph Desire Job, leaving Bryan Robson with seven strikers to choose from.

Boksic confessed that his final decision was clinched by talking to Gascoigne, who quit Boro for Everton last month.

They were team-mates at Lazio and Boksic said: "Gazza called me and asked what I was going to do.

"He said it would be a good thing to come to this club. He had enjoyed his time here and told me I would like it, and it helped me to decide."

"I loved my time at Lazio, but I was ready for something different. I needed a change and I am looking forward to this challenge. I'm excited about what can happen."

Boksic passed a medical yesterday and now Boro are awaiting a work permit which should be a formality.

Robson attempted to sign the lightning-quick forward two years ago but had to back off in the face of massive pay demands.

But now Boksic has signed a three-year, £40,000 a week deal.

Robson has revealed that Boro are still tracking Juninho, even though the Brazilian has returned home on loan to Vasco da Gama from Atletico Madrid.

"We're very disappointed that Madrid wouldn't reduce the fee, that's why there have been no offers for him, the full package was too much," he said.

"I think it's a good move for him but we will be monitoring the situation over there."

Meanwhile, Colombian Hamilton Ricard has sacrificed his international career to fight for his future as Boro's number one striker.

Ricard has quit in the middle of his country's World Cup qualifying matches because of the threat to his place at the Riverside from new signings.

"It's too difficult to play for your national team and in the Premier League," he said. "My priority now is Middlesbrough.

"Colombia's next game is this month against Uruguay and I won't be playing. Everybody wants to represent their country but I want to concentrate on my Premier League career.

"Colombia may not qualify for the finals, I don't think they will, and then all those long trips to play in South America would have been pointless."

The £2.5m front man has been Boro's top scorer with 18 and 14 in the last two seasons and he added: "People seem to forget that. I want to score more goals and I've set a target of 20, and believe I can do it."

Ricard has been linked with moves to France and Japan, but the 26-year-old wants a new contract. "I'm very happy at Middlesbrough and enjoy my life, and the fans are great," he added.

"It's no problem for me that new strikers are being signed. It's good competition, good for the club, but I can't afford to be away."

The Boro boss insisted Ricard's future is at Boro and added: "This will be the first time in four years that Hamilton's had a proper pre-season, rather than carrying on playing for Colombia.

"So he might just benefit by having his best start this season."

Robson has not given up the fight to keep Christian Ziege at Boro.

Robson revealed that the German is torn between staying and moving to Liverpool - but refused to detail the reasons why it is such a dilemma.

"Christian is in a very difficult situation," he said.

Boro are believed to have offered the 28-year-old player a new, even more lucrative contract, to stay - just one year after he signed a near-£40,000-a-week, four-year deal.

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