Steve McClaren wants Benito Carbone signed as a Middlesbrough player before the World Cup.

City boss Nicky Law believes McClaren, inset, is keen to get a deal struck quickly so that it will not interfere with his England commitments as part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's coaching team in the Far East.

And the Telegraph & Argus understands that the Italian has turned down an initial offer from Boro.

Although City are waiting for club-to-club talks, Boro have spoken with Carbone's agent Giovanni Branchini. According to sources in the north-east, the two parties are still apart over the length of contract and the cash available.

If the £40,000-a-week Italian wants a long-term contract with Boro, then it appears he will have to accept a pay cut in keeping with the club's revamped wage structure.

Carbone, whose loan at the Riverside runs out straight after the final game at Leeds on May 11, has made all the right noises about staying.

And with two years of his Valley Parade contract still to run, the Bantams are desperate to get him off the wage bill and want to talk business.

Law said: "The sooner the better for us and I'm sure Steve McClaren doesn't want it dragging on.

"I'm sure he'd like to do it soon even if it doesn't mean Carbone actually signing until the start of next season.

"I don't think Middlesbrough will want Steve going away with England and leaving the job undone here. If this gets tied up, he can give the World Cup his sole priority.

"I'm sure Carbone will want to stay. Middlesbrough have had a decent run since he's been there and while he hasn't scored loads of goals he has brought other players to life again.

"Carbone is a Premiership player. He's a flamboyant, creative player and it's not his game to put in the workmanlike performances you need in the First Division.

"He played the one game for me at Grimsby and scored a top-drawer free-kick. He'll create you two or three things like that but you've got to have players who are on the same wavelength to get there and finish that chance he's created.

"He's obviously enjoying it at Middlesbrough and that suits him.

"And moving him on will go a big way towards where we need to be financially. We have to come back down to reality and what the other First Division clubs are running on."