Middlesbrough are looking to claim substantial compensation from Liverpool over Christian Ziege's controversial transfer to Anfield.
A Premier League commission has fined the Merseyside club £20,000 for an alleged illegal approach for the German international two years ago.
The defender, who was fined £10,000 for his part in the transfer, asked to leave the Riverside only after Liverpool made a bid of £5.5 million - exactly matching a get-out clause in his contract.
"We're delighted with the outcome and it's only what we expected," Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson told the Times. "We're now looking to take this matter further".
The club are understood to want the full-market value from Ziege's transfer - Valencia were reportedly ready to pay £8 million for the wing-back at the time - and compensation for lost revenue and marketing opportunities.
Middlesbrough agreed to Ziege, who has since moved from Liverpool to Tottenham, having a get-out clause because of the player's concern he would not settle in the north-east following a unhappy spell in Italy with AC Milan.
PA