Alves wins AZ arbitration ruling

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.