FORMER Manchester United star Anderson has rejected a shock move to Middlesbrough, according to Globoesporte.
The Teesiders joined Braga and a Chinese investment group in seeking to secure the 28-year-old former Man United midfielder’s services.
But Anderson is set to stay at his current club Internacional, who were relegated from Brazil’s top flight two weeks ago.
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Despite falling out with the Brazilian club’s fans, he is desperate to help the team return to Serie A at the first attempt.
Following Internacional’s relegation, he said: “All the players are culpable, we know this. We just have to think about the year to come and getting Inter out of Serie B.”
Anderson is one of the club’s highest paid players, earning £1.5m per year.
And he would have more than quadrupled his wages if he had opted for a move to China, having received offers of around £6.25m.
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Middlesbrough currently lie in 15th in the Premier League and boss Aitor Karanka faces an emotional reunion with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve.
Karanka served as Mourinho’s assistant at Real Madrid for three years before he made the move to the Riverside.
Talking about sitting in the opposing dugout to the Special One for the first time, he said: “This was one of those games I was most looking forward to.
“We are really good friends and we have a really good relationship. We communicate a lot. He is different in private.
“At the end of the match we will share a glass of wine, or coke, and one of us will be happier than the other.
“I said always that I would say thanks I don’t know how many times.
“I am now in the Premier League because I learned a lot with him every single day."
Brazilian star Anderson enjoyed a trophy-laden eight years at Old Trafford, helping United to four Premier League titles as well as their last Champions League triumph in 2008.
But he divided opinion on Sunsport's panel when we ran the rule over every Brazilian ever to play in the Premier League.
WHY ANDERSON IS A HIT - Andrew Richardson
FORGET the end of his United career, this is a player who showed he was capable of dominating midfield battles against some of the Premier League's best.
Many will point to Anderson's £20million transfer fee — but that works out at just £5m per Premier League title.
Add to that the fact he scored two goals in the 2011 Champions League semi-final and a Sudden Death penalty in the victorious 2008 showpiece AND netted the winning spot-kick in the 2009 League Cup final, he did more than most during his time in English football.
The man even carried on playing for a couple of minutes against West Ham after tearing his cruciate ligaments. No club, other than United has more Premier League titles than he has on his own, and he was just two years from earning a testimonial.
WHY ANDERSON IS A MISS - Daniel Cutts
ANDERSON joined Manchester United for £20m... yes, read that again, £20 MILLION.
He'll be remembered by many as one of the biggest Premier League flops ever, outside of die-hard United fans.
A man who was, and is, the butt of the jokes, he was over-rated, gifted, but lazy, and never lived up to his talent.
Despite my esteemed colleague's claims he only cost them £5m for every title he won, he contributed with just FIVE Premier League goals in eight years.
If that's a contribution, then I might as well get my boots on now...
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