Xavier close to Boro deal

Hannover 96's Abel Xavier of Portugal plays against Bayer 04 Leverkusen during their Bundesliga match in Hanover in February 2004. Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has said Xavier is close to agreeing a contract with Middlesbrough less than a month after completing a ban for doping.

Former Portugal defender Abel Xavier is close to agreeing a contract with Middlesbrough less than a month after completing a ban for doping, club manager Gareth Southgate has said.

Xavier became the first Premiership player to be banned for taking performance-enhancing drugs after testing positive for a steroid, dianabol, after a UEFA Cup match against Skoda Xanthi FC in Greece.

Boro cancelled his contract in January, two months after UEFA banned him for 18 months, a sanction that was reduced to one year following an appeal to the Court of Arbritration for Sport.

After playing two games for the Boro reserves recently Southgate said Friday: "He's getting stronger and I think it's a position where we need some cover.

"His experience and enthusiasm have been a real plus around the place. He's popular with the guys here and he's got a point to prove."

Southgate indicated recently that he was sympathetic to Xavier's claim that the presence of the steroid in his system must have been due to medication he was taking for a virus.

Xavier added: "It has been very difficult for me while I have been away from football. But there are different ways to react and I have always looked for the positives.

"I have always believed I was innocent and that I would be back again playing football at a high level. I do not want to look back any more. I am only interested in the present, and the present is here.

"I am totally against the use of drugs in sport. I am against people taking drugs. In any walk of life, you have a right to be integrated back into society once you have completed a sentence.

"I have done that and now all I want to do is to play football again."