Boro future uncertain for Boateng March 22 2008
George Boateng has admitted his future could lie away from Middlesbrough as manager Gareth Southgate plans for the future.
The 32-year-old midfielder has played a key role at the Riverside Stadium under both Steve McClaren, the man who bought him from Aston Villa for £5million in August 2002, and former team-mate Southgate.
However, Boateng, who was recently relieved of the captain's armband in favour of Julio Arca, is no longer an automatic choice and faces having to fight for his place.
That is not a challenge he fears but with just a year remaining on his contract the Dutchman accepts he may have to consider alternative employment.
"There is a possibility, yes. I would be lying if I said no," Boateng said. "But as long as I am here I will always give my best and perform well because I am not so fickle.
"When it comes to what the club has done for me and vice-versa, the things the fans said about me, the way they appreciated what I did, I haven't forgotten that.
"Overall, it has been great, I can't complain at the way my career has been here but there will be a time when you cannot stay here forever.
"I have one year left, but it is not whether I want to be here, it's whether the club wants me here, and wanting and showing someone that you want him to be here are two different things.
"I don't know if I have the right to be here for another year because I do feel the club is going to make dramatic changes during the summer.
"If I am honest, I don't see myself having a long-term future here, longer than the year I have, so we will have to review it in the summer and see what will happen."
However, Southgate, who appointed Boateng skipper as his replacement as when he took over from McClaren at the helm, is adamant the Holland international still has a role to play.
Boateng was an unused substitute for the FA Cup quarter-final disaster against Cardiff, but returned to the starting line-up against Aston Villa and Arsenal last week and was outstanding as the Teessiders bounced back with two creditable draws away from home.
"If you look at the number of games he has played, he has probably played nearly as many as anybody in the midfield this year," said Southgate.
"It is just that at certain times, he has not been in the side and that unsettled him around Christmas time. But his response has been fantastic throughout, and particularly in the games last week, his performances were superb.
"We have always known what George is capable of, I have always said he has got a big part to play with us.
"I think he has found it difficult to be not in the team every single week, but sometimes when a player is getting slightly older, you have got to be a bit more selective in how you use them to get the best from them.
"George has spent most of this week recovering from the two games last week, but rightly so because what he gave to the team - and what he always gives to the team - was 100% commitment, and none of us ever question that. His contribution has been excellent."