Yorke's demands derail deal

Middlesbrough have officially pulled out of the deal to buy Dwight Yorke from Manchester United even though the clubs had agreed a £6.2m fee.

Yorke's personal terms have proved the stumbling block to his move, and also seem to have effectively ended Paolo di Canio's potential transfer from West Ham to replace the Trinidad and Tobago forward at Old Trafford.

"We are pulling out of the proposed move to buy Dwight Yorke," a Middlesbrough spokesman said. "We agreed a transfer fee with United last week but we have been unable to agree personal terms with the player.

"The two clubs agreed a fee, and United gave us permission to talk to Dwight. We were able to offer him what we believe is a very attractive package to join us. But unfortunately it would appear that the offer did not meet Dwight's aspirations. The club has therefore withdrawn its bid. Our search for players to boost the team is still the manager's No 1 aim."

It is believed Yorke wanted around £60,000 a week to move to the Riverside, more than doubling his wages at Old Trafford, and the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, criticised Yorke's agent, Tony Stephens, for his part in the deal, saying: "Everyone knows we want to sign Paolo di Canio from West Ham – but the Yorke transfer has hit a snag. He is reluctant to move – or rather his agent is reluctant for him to move."

Unless Yorke's other suitors, Sunderland, now come in with a new bid and are prepared to meet the player's wage demands, it is unlikely Yorke will be leaving United.

An Old Trafford club spokesman, Paddy Harverson, said: "If Middlesbrough say they've pulled out that's up to them. We will not be commenting further."

Yorke now seems likely to see out the final months of the season at United and faces being left in isolation by Ferguson. With 18 months of his current deal to run, Yorke could play an even longer waiting game and then leave on a Bosman free transfer.

The Boro manager, Steve McClaren, and the chief executive, Keith Lamb, have worked hard in recent weeks to strengthen their attacking options – with their striker Alen Boksic, who had been struggling for form anyway, sidelined by a calf injury. But one way or another they have seen their efforts falter, largely at the hands of Manchester United.

The Teessiders thought they had beaten Ferguson to Diego Forlan's signature 10 days ago only to be gazumped at the last minute. Then they emerged as favourites to sign Yorke after edging ahead of Sunderland.

Boro's attempt to add first Forlan and then Yorke to the squad despite their financial difficulties is a measure of their ambition after a tricky few months on Teesside. But McClaren can at least comfort himself in the knowledge that his players are fighting for their Barclaycard Premiership survival.

Last night's win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light came just three days after they dumped Manchester United out of the FA Cup – and it lifted them not only out of the relegation zone but to the relative safety of 14th place.

A win at home to Charlton on Sunday would further ease the pressure on a manager who has seen the striker Noel Whelan score five goals in eight games since his return from injury. While his search for new talent continues, the need for new blood will continue to recede if Whelan manages to extend his rich vein of form.