Boro Bid For McCarthy Rejected
Boro have has an offer turned down for Hamilton Academical star James McCarthy.
18 year-old McCarthy has been linked with a move to Reading, Liverpool and Barcelona over the past season.
"There has been contact with Middlesbrough, but James will be going nowhere in this window. James is perfectly happy at Hamilton and in no hurry to leave,” Gray told the Glasgow Evening Times.
"This is his first season in The SPL and he is enjoying the challenge of consolidating himself as an SPL player and of learning the game at the top level in Scotland under Billy Reid.
"The interest is flattering, but James is under contract until 2011 and he is keen to let everyone know that all he is focusing on is producing his best form on the park for Accies to whom he feels a great deal of loyalty.
"In any case, I think a sum of £500,000 was mentioned and I know that is well short of the chairman Ronnie McDonald's valuation.
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It says a lot for James that he is determined to repay Ronnie and Billy Reid with his loyalty and I think it is also good for the Scottish game that one of our top talents wants to stay north of the border.