Middlesbrough have broken their club transfer record to sign Brazil striker Alfonso Alves from Heerenveen.
According to reports the fee agreed with the Dutch side was £12.5m, beating the £8m paid for Italian Massimo Maccarone.
The 27-year-old striker, who scored 45 goals in 38 appearances for Dutch side Heerenveen, signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the club after he was granted a work permit on the deadline day for the January transfer window.
“As usual at this time of the year it was a late night,” Boro boss Gareth Southgate told the club website.
Alves began his career in Brazil with Atletico Miniero before moving to Sweden where he joined Orgryte in 2002.
“His goalscoring record in Holland in particular but in Sweden too has been prolific. We hope he will reproduce that sort of form for us in the Premier League,” added Southgate.
Alves has also been recognized at international level, making his debut for Brazil against England last year.
