The crowd could be measured in hundreds rather than thousands, as it had been the first time, and the accompanying tune was "Are You Watching, Sunderland?" rather than the samba beat of before; but, almost seven years after he astonished English football by joining Middlesbrough from Sao Paulo, Juninho walked back into the Riverside yesterday.
He had returned since, of course. Sold after Middlesbrough's 1997 relegation for £12 million to Atletico Madrid, Juninho returned to Teesside three years ago on loan having had his career in Spain interrupted and bruised by a broken leg.
It did not work out - "the second time I came here I was very low" - but this time the Brazilian, now 29, has returned as a World Cup winner. Now he is talking of "unfinished business".
For Middlesbrough it is finished, however, at least for now. The chief executive Keith Lamb said that they paid Atletico £3.9 million for Juninho.
Juninho's purchase took Middlesbrough's pre-season outlay to £19.4 million and were it not for the £30 million fee Manchester United paid for Rio Ferdinand and Kevin Keegan's largesse at Manchester City, their manager Steve McClaren would be the biggest spender in England this summer.
The Brazilian has followed Massimo Maccarone from Empoli, at £8.1 million Middlesbrough's record signing, and George Boateng from Aston Villa for £5 million. A further £2.5 million went on making Franck Queudrue's loan from Lens a permanent deal, while the Cameroon full back Geremi has arrived on loan from Real Madrid. Jesper Blomqvist is expected to sign next week having been released by Everton.
"We got our house in order last season," was part of McClaren's explanation as to why Middlesbrough are financially flush.
He said hacking the bloated squad he inherited from Bryan Robson from 54 players to 28 had cut the wage bill significantly.
Guardian Service.
