Middlesbrough are still negotiating with out of contract players says Jonathan Woodgate ahead of Stoke City clash

Middlesbrough players take a drinks break during their Championship fixture with Swansea.

Jonathan Woodgate is hopeful most of Middlesbrough’s out of contract players will be available until the end of the season – but says the club are still negotiating with “one or two.”

Seven Boro players will see their current deals expire on 30 June but can agree to play the club’s remaining seven games in July.

Centre-back Daniel Ayala has already decided not to play when his contract lapses at the end of the month, while the Spaniard remains sidelined with an ankle injury.

Jonny Howson, Ryan Shotton, George Friend, Adam Clayton, Rudy Gestede and Marvin Johnson will also see their contracts end in just over a week’s time, yet Woodgate believes there’s a good chance they will complete the campaign.

Apart from Johnson, who was introduced in the second half, all of the aforementioned players started Boro’s 3-0 defeat by Swansea on Saturday.

All six will be available for next weekend’s trip to Stoke but will then have to make a decision whether to play Boro’s remaining seven fixtures.

When asked about the situation following Swansea’s win at the Riverside, Woodgate said: “They’ll all be available for the next game, and I’d like to think they’ll be okay for beyond that too. Hopefully, that will be the case.”

When quizzed on the matter further, Woodgate added: “We’re still negotiating with maybe one or two – all the rest have signed. I don’t want to say anything further than that at the minute.”