Is Afonso Alves overrated? Quite possibly, but Gareth Southgate certainly does not seem to think so as Middlesbrough prepare to splash £14 million in a bid to pip Manchester City to the Brazilian striker's signature.

The Heerenveen ace - who top scored in the admittedly weak Eredivise last season with 34 goals - appears to have played his last game for the Dutch side and has been hankering after a move for some weeks now.

And, according to The Sun, Boro have already agreed terms to take him to the Riverside in a move that is sure to annoy City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson who is keen to sign a quality striker.

Fulham, meanwhile, are keen to add to their Championship-level strikeforce with Watford hit man Marlon King.

A whopping bid of £4 million, however, was not enough to succeed for the former Leeds, Gillingham and Nottingham Forest striker. Six thousand suburban jokers breathe a collective sigh of relief.

It is a tale of three Brazilians over at Eastlands, with misfit Geovanni nearing an exit after failing to impress since his summer move - Deportivo La Coruna are sniffing around hopefully - and Eriksson denying interest in Roma ace Amantino Mancini. "I don't know where that has come from, it must have come from Roma. I have never spoken about that player with anyone," Eriksson said of the flying winger.

Down in London, unlike Spurs team-mate Jermain Defoe, Pascal Chimbonda has accepted his White Hart Lane career is as good as over as Juande Ramos wields his axe now the transfer window is open.

"I imagine that my future will be somewhere other than Totthenham after the club's transfer activities this month," said the former Wigan man, who usually does not mess around once he has made up his mind to leave a club.

And according to the Frenchman's agent, he would love a move to Aston Villa, where boss Martin O'Neill is keen on finding a natural right-back to replace stand-in Olof Mellberg.

Rangers full back Alan Hutton, meanwhile, is rumoured to have rejected a renewed bid by Spurs for his services in a rare display of loyalty or, for the cynics amongst us, a case of holding out for a prettier suitor.

Back up north to Newcastle, where the show must go on after Sam Allardyce's departure from St James' Park. The talk of the Toon is all about who will replace him, with Harry Redknapp leading early polls. But then again, so did Barack Obama and look what happened to him. Alan Shearer, Mark Hughes and a host of other usual suspects are also in the running to take the hot-seat, with an announcement expected within the next week.

Elsehwere, Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is considering a new, improved bid for out-of-favour Everton striker James McFadden along with Hibs left back David Murphy, plus a raid on goal-shy Manchester City striker Georgios Samaras.

"Will I go back in for McFadden and Murphy? We will have a think about things... We will certainly try and do something, yes.

"There is also an interest in Samaras. We will be pushing on with one or two things."

Celtic defender Bobo Balde is keen to seal a move to Bolton and could be winging his way towards the Reebok very soon if the two clubs reach an agreement. "I want my future to be resolved in the next few days," said the player, who will play for Guinea in the African Cup of Nations later this month.

A new face is set to arrive at Craven Cottage, but it is not Jean-Alain Boumsong as expected. New Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has turned his attentions to Goias defender Leyrielton and the net is believed to be closing on the Brazilian full-back.

And finally for this rather brief edition of Transfer Talk, Blackburn keeper Peter Enkelman has joined Cardiff on loan until the end of the season.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport