HANNOVER are keen on taking Robert Huth back to Germany this summer, and are hopeful of landing the Middlesbrough defender in a cutprice deal.

With Boro willing to listen to offers for a number of their players following relegation, Huth has been attracting interest from his homeland.

Hannover are close to making an offer for the centreback after learning that Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg have pulled out of the running.

Huth had been expected to move to Wolfsburg, but defender Alexander Madlung’s unexpected decision to sign a new contract has brought an end to their interest.

Now Hannover are weighing up their options in the hope of prising the 24-year-old away from the Riverside.

After a series of injury set backs during his first two years on Teesside, Boro will be lucky to reclaim anything like the £6m they paid Chelsea for him in August 2006.

And despite figuring prominently in the final four months of the relegation fight, Hannover feel £3m is enough for a player who has made just 40 Premier League starts in three years.

General manager Jorg Schmadtke said: “Of course a player that represents his country is always an option for us as a club.”

Schmadtke revealed that Hannover are not in “any advanced stage” in negotiations with Middlesbrough, but are hopeful they can persuade the Germany international to sign.

Huth chose to leave Chelsea three years ago in a bid to play regular first-team football to enhance his prospects at an international level.

Injury has prevented him from making more than 18 appearances for his country but national coach Joachim Loew called him up for the current mini-tour to Asia, with Huth playing for his country for the first time in three years in last Friday’s 1-1 draw with China.