Chelsea favourites as Middlesbrough drop Geremi interest

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren has admitted defeat in attempts to sign Real Madrid midfielder Geremi.

Real 's asking price for the Cameroon international has risen to £11 million after Chelsea joined the race.

"There's a lot of hype and speculation about the situation at Chelsea," said McClaren. "But until signings are made, we don't know."

"But it doesn't change things as far as we are concerned, because we couldn't pay the money Real Madrid were asking for Geremi in the first place."