Mail on Sunday: Boro are favourites to land Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell in a £5m deal. Sidwell is a big admirer of Boro boss Gareth Southgate and believes there is huge potential for him alongside young English players such as Stewart Downing and David Wheater.

News of the World: Middlesbrough will make a £7m double raid for midfielders Giles Barnes and Steven Davis. He will bid £3m for Derby star Barnes, 19, and £4m for Fulham ace Davis, who is on loan at Rangers.

Sunday People: Gareth Southgate wants to beef up his strike force with the £1.5m capture of Roland Linz. Linz, 26, has told Sporting Braga he wants to leave in the summer.

Sunday Sun: Middlesbrough are tracking Brazil star Fernando Menegazzo - according to reports in France. A defensive midfielder who can also operate in the backline, Menegazzo, 27, is under contract at Bordeaux until 2011. Boro could lure him to the Riverside for around £5m.

Daily Star: James Beattie has snubbed a £60,000-a-week pay deal and an £8m move to Middlesbrough. Beattie, who has scored 20 goals for Sheffield United this season, wants to stay and help the Blades back to the top flight.

Sunday Sun: Middlesbrough's hopes of landing keeper Gregory Coupet have received a boost after he revealed he is keen to move to England rather than sign a new contract at Lyon.

Northern Echo: Police praised the vast majority of derby day fans despite 27 arrests being made at Sunderland's Premier League match against Middlesbrough.

Evening Gazette: Boro star George Boateng shared his Christian faith with thousands of people at the launch of one of the region's biggest evangelistic events.

Around the Internet

Boro and Bolton are tracking £1m-rated Crewe forward Nicky Maynard, 20, who has scored 11 goals in his last seven games.