Football: Middlesbrough agree pounds 4m fee for unsettled Dublin

Middlesbrough have agreed a pounds 4m fee with Coventry for striker Dion Dublin, after he turned down a pounds 3m contract at Highfield Road worth pounds 16,000 a week on Tuesday.

Viv Anderson, Boro's assistant manager, said: "Dublin is a good player who can play in several positions. We have agreed a fee but there is a long way to go before he walks in the door. It is not hard and fast he will sign for us. Transfer talks have not started with the player. We are hoping to hear something in the next 48 hours."

Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Leicester have also been linked with the former United striker - with Palace already having had a pounds 3.25m bid rejected.

Gordon Strachan, the Coventry manager, refused to confirm Dublin's imminent departure, saying yesterday: "He is in our team against Arsenal and he will captain the side.

"He is playing as well as he ever has and our relationship is extremely good. I would like to think that this is not his farewell match. I expect him to be here for as long as we can keep him."