Afonso Alves is still a Middlesbrough player after talks with the Qatari club Al Sadd over his proposed transfer there broke down on Tuesday.

Yet with the transfer window in Qatar not closing until 15 September, Alves has remained in Doha in the hope of agreeing personal terms. The Brazilian striker, who earns around £50,000 a week, making him Middlesbrough's highest-paid player, cost almost £13m when he signed from Heerenveen in January 2008, but has proved a flop and is no longer part of the manager Gareth Southgate's plans.

Southgate had hoped to sign Rob Hulse from Derby before the deadline but the centre-forward failed to agree personal terms on Teesside.

Meanwhile, Steve Bruce, Sunderland's manager, is expected to sign Lucas Neill. The former West Ham and Blackburn right-back is currently a free agent and consequently available for recruitment outside the window.