Alves wins AZ arbitration ruling

Alves was signed by manager Gareth Southgate in January

Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves has won the arbitration case filed against him by Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

AZ had demanded a payment of around £6m from the Brazilian claiming he had signed a pre-contract agreement prior to securing a deal at the Riverside.

The judge ruled that the contract was incomplete as it did not feature the signature of agent Wagner Ribeiro, denying AZ a compensation fee.

Alves joined Boro in January from Dutch side Heerenveen for an undisclosed fee.