MIDDLESBROUGH: Middlesbrough agreed to a transfer fee for Ahmed Mido on Tuesday and hope to complete the signing of the Tottenham striker within two days. The 24-year-old Egypt forward will complete his move if he passes a medical and secures a work permit to play in Britain. The clubs did not disclose the transfer fee, but it is likely to be similar to the ?6 million ($12 million; 8.8 million euros) Birmingham was set to pay for him last month. The Blues had agreed to a transfer fee but the move broke down over the terms of Mido s contract. He s currently in the process of having his medical, Boro manager Gareth Southgate said. Hopefully, if everything goes well, we ll have some news in the next 36 hours. All the talks have been very positive and I don t see the medical being too much of a problem for him. Mido spent 2 1/2 years at Tottenham, but played little last season and saw his chances of a first-team spot further reduced in the off-season when Spurs signed Darren Bent from Charlton for a club-record ?16.5 million ($33 million; 4.3 million euros). Middlesbrough has been seeking a striker to replace Mark Viduka, who agreed in June to join regional rival Newcastle when his contract expired. It signed Jeremie Aliadiere from Arsenal and Tuncay Sanli from Fenerbahce, but Mido has more Premier League experience than either. Mido scored 13 league goals in 28 starts for Spurs during an 18-month loan from AS Roma and helped the club to the brink of Champions League qualification in 2006. He joined permanently last season for a fee of about ?4.5 million ($8.8 million; 6.5 million euros), but struggled with form and fitness, attracting jeers from fans who said he was overweight. Mido, who played for Al-Zamalek, Gent, Ajax, Celta Vigo and Marseille before joining Roma in 2004, scored just one goal in seven Premier League starts last season. Mido hit 18 goals in 44 games for Egypt, but has fallen out with coaches and teammates throughout his career. He was dropped from Egypt s win in the 2006 African Nations Cup final for arguing with Coach Hassan Shehata when he was substituted in the semifinal.
