New Recruits

By: Conor | July 24th, 2008

It’s fairly early in this summers transfer market but boss Gareth Southgate has already dipped into the market to bring in two young talents from France and Holland. The two young stars are French U21 international Didier Digard from PSG and Netherland U17 international Marvin Emnes from Sparta Rotterdam. These two signings should add creativity and pace to the Boro team and push Boro on to better things for the coming season.

French U21 international Didier Digard joins for a fee of around £4 million and comes highly rated from his time in France. He has represented his country 4 times at U21 level. Digard started his career at Le Harve and spent 8 years there making 72 appearances and scoring 3 goals in his time with the club. Last summer he was linked with a host of Premiership clubs but chose to stay in France,signing a 3 year deal with Paris Saint- Germain. In his one season at PSG he made 16 appearances impressing, but could not stop PSG finishing in a lowly 16th. There was also some controversy surrounding the move to Boro as there was a hold up with the deal, and Digard expressed his frustration branding the PSG board “incompetent”.This must raise some question marks over the players character and will be intresting to watch if any trouble comes out of him during the season. PSG rejected this claim blaming Middlesbrough for the hold up and suspended Digard for his public outburst, but days later the move was wrapped up and Digard got his wish and both parties were left happy with the outcome.

Marvin Emnes who has represented The Netherlands at U17 level has joined the Teesiders from Dutch outfit Sparta Rotterdam for a fee of around £3.2 million. Emnes who is a speedy winger came through the youth ranks at Sparta Rotterdam and made his debut for them in the 2005/06 season though his breakthrough year came in the 2007/08 season scoring 8 goals which in turn bought him to the attention of Southgate and got him his move to the Premier league. Overall for Sparta Rotterdam he made 56 appearances scoring a total of 9 goals but it will be intresting to see if he can make the transition from Dutch football to the English Premier league where palyers such as Dirk Kuyt have struggled.

These two signings are sure to have got the Boro faithful dreaming of better days for the club next season, but they have still got to replace fans favourite Mark Schwarcher who has left to join Fulham on a free transfer. Boro fans will want a top keeper in to replace him and I believe that Thomas Sorensen would be a great replacement as he is top keeper with vast experience of the Premier league and is available for next to nothing. Also with Lee Cattermole on the brink of joining Wigan it is looking more and more likely that Southgate will splash the cash on long term target James Harper who can hopefully be Middlesbrough’s goal scoring midfielder they have been crying out for.