Door Is Open For Boro To Strike!

Last updated : 22 January 2009 By Boro Mad

The 23-year-old midfielder is currently holding talks on Teesside but another Premier League club have matched Boro's £2million offer.

Warnock: "I can tell you that West Ham and Fulham aren't in the hunt.

"We've agreed fees with a couple of clubs and obviously Middlesbrough have got the opportunity to speak with him first.

"I don't know if he's going to speak to anybody else but once we agreed a fee other clubs can quite rightly match the fee and talk to him.

"I'm pleased for Ben and for the club and the chairman. We had a derogatory offer of £500,000 from QPR and early on in the season it was unsettling for Ben.

"But we've got a realistic valuation now. I think £2million is realistic for someone of Ben's quality. I'll be sad to see him go, he's going to be a very exciting player."