Middlesbrough have today been handed a shock transfer request from Italian defender Gianluca Festa. The 31-year-old was dropped for vital matches against Arsenal and Manchester United and it is believed this prompted his request. Festa was signed from Inter Milan back in January 1997 for a fee of £2.7 million but has recently been overlooked in favour of Gary Pallister, Colin Cooper, Steve Vickers and Dean Gordon. Recent £8 million signing Ugo Ehiogu will soon be back from injury, making it even tougher for Festa to win his place back.
Boss Bryan Robson has accepted the player's request after he and the club's chief executive Keith Lamb held a meeting with him. "I don't want any players at this club who don't want to play for the club. I think sometimes players get disappointed with the way results are going and obviously, Gianluca has looked into the fact that Ugo Ehiogu has come into the club as well and he'll maybe find it difficult to get his place in the side, so that's Gianluca's decision. We'll definitely look for a fee for him. We'll just have to wait and see who is interested in Gianluca and who's willing to offer money for him," explained Robson.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
