Football: Middlesbrough's `new Maradona'

MIDDLESBROUGH HAVE signed the Argentine Under-18 international midfielder Carlos Arturo Marinelli, who has been described as the "new Maradona" - for pounds 1.5m.

Boro's manager Bryan Robson clinched the capture of Boca Juniors' outstanding prospect on a visit to Buenos Aires. Marinelli has agreed a five-year contract. He will arrive in England this week for training. Robson said: "The boy has huge potential. Everyone who has seen him agreed he is one of the best players of his age they have ever seen. The talks went well and Carlos was keen to join us."

Marinelli's signing is compensation for Middlesbrough after the French international Ibrahim Ba decided against a loan move from Milan.

Sheffield Wednesday's striker Benito Carbone returned to training at Hillsborough yesterday, nine days after walking out on the club. Carbone refused to be a substitute before the defeat at Southampton, leading to him leaving The Dell and flying back home to Italy.

He remains transfer-listed as Wednesday look to sell him on before he is able to sign a pre-contract agreement in January, allowing him to leave for free next summer.

Yesterday's pounds 8m cash boost for Hearts has received an unqualified thumbs- up from Tynecastle fans. Scottish Media Group Plc yesterday became the latest British television company to buy into a club when it bought an initial 19.9 per-cent stake. "Our members will be highly delighted by this news," said Alex Knight, the chairman of the Hearts Shareholders' Association. "It is a huge sum to us."