Boateng worry for Southgate
05 Jan 2008 - 12:11:38
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate says he is non-plussed by talk of midfielder George Boateng leaving the club in the January transfer window.
The 32-year-old's agent had suggested that his client could seek to leave the Riverside, but Southgate has played down such suggestions.
He said: "He is our player and we have got a small squad. We are not in a rush to lose any of our players.
"It's a bit of a strange one at the moment, but we have just got to deal with it.
"It is that time of year when players will be linked with us and players will be linked with going away from us.
"It's an unsettling period at any club, I am sure other clubs are the same.
"I am sure all managers are delighted when January is finished because you end up feeling you need to explain things that are in newspapers to lads when there is no truth sometimes, there is an element of truth sometimes and sometimes it is fact.
"It is very difficult for everybody at this time of year and this is one of those stories. We will have to see where we go with it, but we are not in a rush to lose any of our players.
"We don't want players to leave the club, especially experienced players and I have made that clear to George."
Boateng joined Boro in the summer of 2002 from Aston Villa, having previously played from Feyenoord and Coventry City.