Emerson comes back

Emerson, Middlesbrough's wayward Brazilian, is back in the north- east after finally returning from South America.

The pounds 4m midfielder, who has gone absent three times in the past month, almost did not even make it back to Teesside last night, as his final flight from Amsterdam was diverted to Newcastle because of fog.

Middlesbrough hope to convince the wayward midfielder that his future is at the Riverside Stadium. Emerson's last game for the club was the 3-1 defeat at Newcastle a month ago.

Boro's Brazilian botheration does not end with the homesickness and illness of Mrs Emerson, which have apparently unsettled her husband. The club is also caught up in an inquiry by the Central Bank of Brazil into their pounds 4.75m purchase of Juninho last year. Boro are happy to co-operate with investigations into possible foreign exchange fraud and tax evasion by Juninho's former club, Sao Paulo.