Mark Viduka enjoyed a brief spell at Middlesbrough while the club were in the Premier League, as he featured across three seasons before he left the club for Newcastle United.
While Mark Viduka was not one of Middlesbrough’s most expensive signings ever made, he did fetch quite a fee for a player that had just been relegated with Leeds United, moving for a reported £4.5 million.
The decision to sign the former Australian international was due to the club having qualified for the UEFA Cup after winning the League Cup the year previous.
Mark Viduka playing for Middlesbrough against Liverpool
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images
At the time of his signing, Middlesbrough knew exactly who they wanted to have up front and brought in Viduka, different from their experience this summer, as they have struggled to acquire a striker but are now looking at a former Juventus attacker.
Mark Viduka on his former teammate Gareth Southgate
The former Leeds striker has fond memories from his time in England, having featured for Leeds United, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.
While wearing the red and white jersey of the Teesside club, he made 101 appearances, scoring a total of 42 goals, which earned him a move to Newcastle.
During his time at Boro, Viduka would feature under two managers, Steve McClaren and Gareth Southgate.
Gareth Southgate looks on as Spain beat England 2-1 to win EURO 2024 title
Photo by Hesham Elsherif/Anadolu via Getty Images
Viduka was impressed by how Southgate was able to step up as a manager, having been part of the squad under McClaren the previous season, as he left to manage England.
Speaking with the Telegraph, he said: “His first step would probably have been his most difficult; he had to tell off people that were his mates.
“But Gareth is that type of a guy; he was made for that kind of role. He’s a down-to-earth person players respect; it was a natural thing for him to progress as a manager.”
Mark Viduka has admitted that he has contemplated returning to football in a role off the pitch since retiring, particularly for one of his previous clubs.
However, he has admitted that he likes his freedom too much to return to football, as he runs a coffee shop in Zagreb.
He said: “I keep toying with it, but I like my freedom too much. It’s very stressful, and football is a 24-hour, seven-day type of thing; your whole life has to revolve around it. I like doing what I want to do when I want to do it.”