Contract negotiations between club officials and the representatives of both David Wheater and Mark Schwarzer are believed to be picking up pace. Both first-teamers are out of contract in the summer, and boss Gareth Southgate has prompted the Boro board into action. He would be devastated to see two influential players walk away from the club in the summer, especially on free transfers.
Wheater, 21, has been in talks with the club for a number of weeks, with a deal believed to be a matter of days away. Boro chairman Steve Gibson told an audience at the Middlesbrough Supporters Club on Monday night, “David is a smashing lad, he comes from a smashing family and there`s a real balance there.”
“I get on with David`s father, Colin, and I think we`re about there with the contract. I am confident he will sign in the next week,” added Gibson.
The news will come as a massive boost to the side and boss Southgate, as Wheater has been tipped for big things after bursting onto the scene this scene. Even new England manager Fabio Capello admitted he would be keeping a close eye on the Boro centre-half. Liverpool, Boro`s opponents tomorrow afternoon, were also believed to have been chasing him last month.
Meanwhile, Schwarzer`s future is far less certain, with the Aussie stopper given far less assurances about a new deal. The keeper asked the club to postpone ongoing negotiations until after the New Year, and now Southgate is keen to sit down and talk once more. The 35-year-old is free to talk to clubs about a free transfer in the summer, although it is understood that he is willing to listen to any offers from Boro.
Southgate said recently about the deal, “Mark`s contract is up in the summer but it`s one of those situations where he is playing so well, you don`t want to upset things.”
“But it is a situation I am conscious of. He didn`t want to talk about it until January at the earliest. I have got a very good relationship with him, but I need to talk to him and see what his thoughts are,” added Southgate.
Schwarzer joined Boro in 1997 for a bargain £1.5m from Bradford City, and has spent almost eleven years on Teesside, remaining first-choice goalkeeper for most of that time. Crucially, Boro do not have a ready-made replacement for the Aussie if he does decide to leave, with No.2 Ross Turnbull still vastly inexperienced at Premier League level. In his current vein of form, it would appear that Schwarzer still has a couple of years left in him at least.
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I want to keep Mark! He is a great player for the club! Hope he signs!
i want Mark to stay too, although I think it’s looking unlikely at the moment 🙁
sign ’em both up straight away… too valuable to lose for nothing in the summer, especially wheats.
Schwarzer will be off and good riddance to him as far as im concerned. Always whinging and should have been sold a few years ago. He is still indecisive and doesn’t help the defence out at all with his poor communication.
^^^^^^ Vartkes ^^^^^ see Liverpool Goal No.3 for reference to above statement :p
Look, I know Mark does a lot of mistakes, but who doesn’t? He has been a great keeper for 10 years now. I don’t see a capable replacement for him, but agree, that Gareth would probably search for one in the summer. We’ll see 🙂
Is it only me and the multiple dozen around me who wince everytime he comes out for the ball or the ball is played back to him? I would sign Chris Kirkland if Wigan go down (or try even if they don’t) – a better keeper than Schwarzer and although he maybe injury prone i would take the chance as if he does get injured, young Ross will get a few more games.
Can we have him ?