TROUBLED Brazilian star Emerson last night indicated that he could return to Middlesbrough next week with his wife Andrea.

Emerson has angered the Premiership club by staying in Rio de Janeiro to comfort his sick wife and they have threatened to throw the book at him with a series of heavy fines.

And the club have again been forced to rule him out of the vital home match with Leeds today when they attempt to end a dismal run of 10 league games without a win.

However, there could be some light at the end of a long dark tunnel for Middlesbrough.

Emerson said: "I intend to return to Middlesbrough with my wife, possibly next week. I can't leave at the moment as she is bedridden and depressed."

But whether he intends to confirm his long-term commitment to the club remains clouded in doubt as his wife is clearly unhappy at the prospect of settling in Teesside.

Emerson's English representative and interpreter Gianni Paladini earlier confirmed that the player's only problem concerned his wife.

Paladini, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "He has always said that he likes Middlesbrough and he likes the players. He has no problems with the club or the city or anything like that. The problem is with his wife.

"He is madly in love with this lady and he cannot live without her. He puts his wife first before anything else and as far as I can see now, he couldn't care less about playing football for the rest of his life."

But Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson, is refusing to let Emerson have his way as the Brazilian signed a four-year contract and the club believes he should honour it.

Gibson said: "Events have determined our resolve to hang on to Emerson. We have to stand up for the good of the game."

Chief executive Keith Lamb added: "If we give in there will be anarchy in football. Players could simply walk out on contracts."

Emerson's Portuguese agent Da Silva Vega was away from his Lisbon office today. "He is abroad on business," said a spokeswoman.

She added Emerson had tried unsuccessfully to contact Da Silva Vega by phone yesterday the day the Brazilian player was due to arrive back at Teesside.

The Premiership club believe Barcelona are trying to unsettle the player by conducting a series of meetings with the agent.

A spokesman for the Spanish club said: "We are aware of the stories regarding Emerson because it is big news here. But we have no comment to make at the moment."

Meanwhile, Reggi Blinker breathed a sigh of relief last night after being cleared to play for Sheffield Wednesday against Liverpool at Anfield today. FIFA yesterday lifted their worldwide ban on the Dutchman with immediate effect and he is ready to make his comeback after missing the club's two previous matches.

Blinker told Radio 5 Live: "I have been trying hard to keep myself fit. If you don't play matches and just sit on the bench when you are fully fit, then that is very frustrating.

Blinker, who has been included in Holland's squad for next Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Belgium, has been hit with a hefty £5,700 fine by world football's governing body.

He was suspended by FIFA after appearing to sign contracts for both Wednesday and Udinese, while he was playing for Feyenoord.

His case came up before FIFA'S players' status committee in Barcelona.

And they decided that although the Udinese document was basically valid, it could not be legally protected as the Italian club had violated regulations.

Udinese had failed to inform Feyenoord, with whom the player was under contract.

Blinker in turn was fined 75,000 Swiss francs for failing to inform Wednesday of his previous commitment to Udinese.

Club secretary Graham Mackerell quipped: "That is going to lighten his Christmas."

Leeds are poised to sign John Scales after Liverpool confirmed yesterday they had agreed a fee, believed to be £2.7 million, for the 30-year-old central defender.

Anfield spokesman Ian Cotton said: "It is now a question of the player agreeing personal terms."

The Harrogate-born former Wimbledon star, who was released by Leeds as a youngster, has struggled with form and fitness this season.

He would be manager George Graham's first signing since succeeding Howard Wilkinson in September.

Scales, who is currently out of the Liverpool side with a groin injury, had talks at Elland Road yesterday with his agent Eric Hall.

But should Scales' signature be secured it would come too late for him to play at Middlesbrough.