McClaren secures late signing of Ricketts

Steve McClaren, the Middlesbrough manager, pulled off a surprise transfer deadline deal when he signed the Bolton Wanderers striker Michael Ricketts from under the noses of Tottenham yesterday for £3.5m.

Tottenham have been trying to sign Ricketts since last August, but their tactic of low bids and slightly increased offers angered the Bolton chairman, Phil Gartside, who rejected the Spurs bid in the morning, but then accepted the Boro offer.

Middlesbrough also completed the double signing of the England Under-21 internationals Malcolm Christie and Chris Riggott from Derby for a combined fee which could rise to £5m. The deal is worth £3m immediately, with Christie, a striker, signing for Boro straight away and Riggott, a central defender, joining initially on loan with a guaranteed permanent transfer by April.

Southampton have signed Nottingham Forest's England Under-21 midfielder David Prutton for £2.5m. Forest were reluctant to let Prutton go but have retained their promising centre-half Michael Dawson, who agreed a new five-and-a-half year deal yesterday.

The Saints also completed the signing of the 24-year-old former Manchester United defender, Danny Higginbotham, from Derby for £1.5m.

Arsenal have signed the experienced French goalkeeper Guillaume Warmuz on a short-term contract as back-up to David Seaman. The 32-year-old was a free agent after his contract expired in December.

Leeds United have signed the Real Madrid left-back Raul Bravo on loan until the end of the season, according to the Spanish club's website.

The 21-year-old, who is Roberto Carlos's understudy at Real, has won five caps for Spain and enjoys the distinction of having played for his country more than he has for his club this season. He was called up by Spain for Iñaki Saez's first game in charge, a friendly against Hungary last August, and has been an ever-present since then.

Sunderland have signed the Moroccan international central defender Talal El Karkouri on loan from Paris St-Germain for the rest of the season, but Don Hutchison's hopes of a return to Sunderland from West Ham fell through.

On a busy day for Sunderland, they turned down last-minute approaches for David Bellion from Manchester United and Liverpool. Chairman Bob Murray accused United last week of unsettling the 20-year-old with an illegal approach and rejected a bid believed to be in the region of £1m.

West Ham have signed the Fulham left-back Rufus Brevett for £100,000, and the midfielder, David Noble, 21, who has joined from Arsenal on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Top deadline-day deals

Newcastle Utd: Jonathan Woodgate (Leeds Utd) £9m; Tony Caig (Hibernian) loan.

Middlesbrough: Michael Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers) £3.5m; Malcom Christie and Chris Rigott (Derby County) £3m combined fee.

Southampton: David Prutton (Nottingham Forest) £2.5m; Danny Higginbotham (Derby) £1.5m.

West Ham Utd: Rufus Brevett (Fulham) £100,000; David Noble (Arsenal) free.

Arsenal: Guillaume Warmuz (free agent, ex-Lens).

Bolton Wanderers: Pierre-Yves André, (Nantes) loan; Florent Laville (Lyon) loan; Ndiwa Lord (Djurgarden) undisclosed fee.

Leeds Utd: Raul Bravo (Real Madrid) loan.

Sunderland: Talal El Karkouri (Paris St-Germain) loan.