MIDDLESBROUGH'S hopes of enticing Roy Keane to the Riverside would appear to be fading fast after Real Madrid confirmed their interest in the former Manchester United midfielder.

Boro boss Steve McClaren, who coached the combative Republic of Ireland star during his time at Old Trafford as No.2 to Sir Alex Ferguson, has refused to rule out a swoop for the player.

When Keane sensationally left the Red Devils last month, McClaren, stating the obvious, said there would be a queue of manager's offering him a fresh challenge.

"Will we be in that queue? We shall have to see," he added.

Since then Boro have been waiting in the shadows as Celtic, West Ham, West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Bolton Wanderers have all declared their hands.

McClaren has kept his counsel on the subject, at least as far as the public arena is concerned, but privately he had hoped his relationship with Keane and the club's ability to pay top-line wages, might swing the balance.

However, yesterday, Madrid, while revealing there was some way to go before Keane joined the La Liga giants, said he was someone they were considering.

"Roy Keane is on the list of possible signings the club is discussing at the moment," Real Madrid director of communications Antonio Garcia Ferreras said. "But nothing has been decided as yet.

"Contrary to reports in the press the player has not passed a medical with Real nor will he do so in the next couple of days.

"What is true is that the player was offered to the club around a month ago and because of his characteristics he is the sort of player that interests the technical staff.

"They are going to sit down in seven or eight days and decide on who, if anyone, the club will sign when the transfer window opens."

Meanwhile, Boro striker Mark Viduka said he and his Australian team-mates are undaunted about the prospects of facing Brazil in the opening stage of next year's World Cup.

Australia were drawn with the competition favourites as well as Croatia, where Viduka's family hails from, and Japan in Group F when the draw was made in Leipzig on Friday.

Despite the difficulty the Socceroos obviously face against the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Co., Viduka believes self-belief will see them going into the game in confident mood.

"We have got to give ourselves a chance," said Viduka. "I think we are a team that's up for the challenge and obviously our aim is to get to the next round.

"Brazil are all world-class players and they have got the history and pedigree behind them, so it's going to be a great challenge for us. But we have played them before in other tournaments and done well."

On being drawn against the land of his fathers, Viduka expressed disbelief.

"It's unbelievable. I know most of the team. Their manager (Zlatco Kranjcar) was the first manager I had when I went to Croatia. It will be good to play against them, I have got a lot of good friends still there."

Asked if the fact the Croat side contained a handful of Australians would give the game an extra edge, Viduka was diplomatic.

"It's going to be weird for a lot of guys - it could go either way," he said. "Nobody would have thought when they made their decision to play for Croatia they would play Australia in the World Cup.

"I think we are just rapt that we are in the mix. When I saw the Australian name pulled out I was really proud and felt a tingle down my spine."

* Derby are hoping to secure the services of on-loan Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies on a permanent deal.

Davies, 20, has played 18 games and scored three goals for the Rams since his arrival at Pride Park in July and Rams director of football Murdo Mackay said: ''Andrew wants to stay but it's whether Middlesbrough are willing to sell him or not. I have had a conversation with them this week and I've got a rough idea of where we're at.

''He is on loan to the end of the season and they've got an option to recall him, but we hope they won't.''

* Manchester United's Quinton Fortune will see a specialist over the recurring knee problem that has ruled him out so far this season.

The South African has not played since he came on as a substitute for John O'Shea in the FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: ''It's not clearing up to be frank and it's a concern for us all.

''We're going to get another opinion to decide whether he should go to someone he knows in Spain or go America to see (Doctor Richard) Steadman."

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