Southgate: Boro must impress Woodgate

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate believes on-loan Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate will only sign for the club permanently if he is convinced of its ambition.

A relegation dogfight is not what Woodgate had in mind in August when he agreed to swap the Bernabeu Stadium for a season-long loan at his hometown club. Yet that grim prospect is staring him in the face with Boro hovering perilously above the relegation zone.

"We can't hide the fact that we'd love to have him with us in the long-term, but we have to show him that our ambitions match his," admitted Southgate.

Boro have struggled all season for consistency and their plight is threatening to undermine Southgate's bid to secure Woodgate's signature in a permanent transfer.

Southgate added: "I know he's enjoying his football with us and he's been outstanding since the day he walked through the door.

"I think there's more to come from him, and we'd love to have him with us permanently, there's no question about that."

The Middlesbrough-born defender, 26, made just 14 appearances during the past two seasons at Madrid and completed just five league games due to a series of injuries.

But he has been largely injury-free since joining Boro and his performance in Tuesday's goalless draw at Everton saw him take another giant stride towards re-establishing himself as an England centre-half.

Madrid have indicated a willingness to sell Woodgate and Boro are believed to have first option on the former Leeds and Newcastle defender at the end of the season.

But, given the Teessiders' struggle at the wrong end of the table, Southgate admitted Woodgate's future remains uncertain. "He's come to get a season's football under his belt and I don't know what the situation will be at the end of the season," said Southgate.