Middlesbrough defender David Wheater has ended speculation over his future by signing a new deal at the club.

Wheater’s existing deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but the club have moved to tie him down to a new three-and-a-half year contract.

The powerful defender has been a revelation for Boro this season, with Wheater establishing himself as a key member of Gareth Southgate’s starting XI.

His towering performances have even alerted England coach Fabio Capello, who has tipped him as a future star of the national team.

A number of Boro’s Premier League rivals were thought to be monitoring Wheater’s situation at the Riverside, but the 20 year-old has pledged his future to his hometown club. The news is a massive boost to Boro ahead of this weekend’s clash with Reading.

Middlesbrough and Sheffield United had to fight 200 minutes in order to produce a goal, when they last night replayed their FA Cup meeting that ended with a draw a few weeks ago.

This time the match was hosted at the Riverside stadium, but things didn’t change for the regular 90 minutes.

The scoreboard showed again a goalless draw, as it did in the previous attempt. The FA Cup rules state that in case of a second draw, the winner will be decided after extra time and if needed after the penalty-shootout.

The first half of extra time went on and it ended with no change on the scoreboard. It was clear for everyone that this game will be decided from the penalty spots. But the 114th minute came, lucky for Boro and cruel for Sheffield.
The visitors keeper, Patrick Kenny, who pulled a nice performance until that moment, managed to score a stupid own goal that granted Middlesbrough’ş tickets for the last eight. Mido shot from the edge of the box, his shot got deflected into the post and rebounded towards Kenny. Even stranger, Sheffield’ş keeper was facing towards the ball when it came to him. Kenny tried to clear the ball, but his clumsy attempt sent the rebounding ball into his own net.
You can watch this stupid goal in the following football highlights and see how the over 28,000 attendance reacted to this rare seen own goal. Live online football from the quarterfinals of the 07-08 edition of the FA Cup can be seen with the help of the live streams and the p2p technology.

The Football Association has rejected Middlesbrough’s appeal against Jeremie Aliadiere’s dismissal in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Liverpool and handed the Frenchman an extra one-match ban.

The former Arsenal star will now serve a four-game suspension after being sent off for violent conduct. Aliadiere was dismissed in the closing stages of the Anfield encounter for slapping Javier Mascherano, after the Reds midfielder had grabbed the Boro player’s face as the pair waited for a throw-in.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate had said after the game that referee Lee Mason was right to dismiss Aliadiere, telling the club’s official website: “If you raise your hands away from home with a young referee there isn’t much alternative.”

“But I’m not going to crucify Jeremie. He’s been fantastic all season, and it’s a lesson he’s got to learn from. The harshest thing for him is he’s going to miss three games and, with the strikers we’ve got now, he’s going to have to sit out and work his way back into the side.”

The 24-year-old striker has scored three goals in 23 appearances for the Teessiders so far this season.

Middlesbrough’s new signing Afonso Alves has been granted a work permit and will join up with Gareth Southgate’s squad on Wednesday.

The Brazilian sealed his move from Dutch club Heerenveen on transfer deadline day last Thursday.

The 27-year-old missed his side’s draw at Newcastle on Sunday because his final working permit had not arrived from the British Embassy in Holland. But the relevant paperwork has now been processed, leaving Alves free to train.

The Brazil international striker could now make his Middlesbrough debut at home to Fulham on Saturday.

Dutch club AZ Alkmaar claimed they have a pre-contract agreement with Alves. Alkmaar say they will take their case to Fifa, despite the Dutch FA already ruling that the agreement is invalid. AZ chairman Dirk Scheringa said: “We have a water-tight contract with him. He really has a chance of getting banned from playing for the rest of the season.”

Alves is Boro’s most expensive ever signing; after he signed a five year deal for a reported £12 million.

Middlesbrough Chief Executive, Keith Lamb, has spoken of his belief that Stewart Downing will put all rumours behind him, and sign a new deal at the Riverside.

Downing was the subject of bids from English Premier League teams Everton and Tottenham during the January window, and after not being allowed to leave, his agent spoke out saying Downing would now just let his contract run out and then leave under the bosman ruling. Downing currently has two years left on his Boro contract.

“I believe Stewart wants to stay. We’ll be sitting down in the next couple of weeks and I think the fans will be happy with the outcome. We’ve had words with his agent and, as I’ve said recently, we want Stewart to stay. He wants to stay, he’s a Middlesbrough boy and there’s a willingness to sort out this situation.”

Throughout January however manager Gareth Southgate insisted Downing remained a part of his long-term plans and that no bids had been made for the England international.

English Premier League side Tottenham are set for a Quadruple swoop to strengthen both the midfield and the defence.

Middlesbrough centre-back Jonathan Woodgate is set to snub Kevin Keegan, and join Juande Ramos at Tottenham. It is thought that he believes their is a higher possibility of European football with the Lilly Whites.

Tottenham will also complete the move for Juventus midfielder Tiago for £9 million, but could face last minute competition from Atletico Madrid.

Tottenham could also wrap up the deal for Gilberto of Hertha Berlin this week to bolster his defensive options.

Alan Hutton is also expected to make the move to White-Hart Lane, after he made a U-Turn, and he decided his future is in fact in the Juande Ramos revolution.