By Betting Zone
January 23 2007

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has pleaded with striker Mark Viduka to finish his Premiership career at the Riverside Stadium.

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The 31-year-old is out of contract in the summer and Southgate is desperate for the striker to sign a new deal after a host of Premiership clubs were rumoured to be interested in signing him.

Viduka has dismissed a link with West Ham, stating he is reluctant to leave his Yorkshire home, and now Boro are hoping to agree a three year extension to his current contract.

The Australia captain's current scoring run of five goals in the last six games have made him indispensable to the Teesside club and Southgate is hoping to thrash out a new contract after the January transfer window has closed.

Southgate told the Daily Express: "West Ham was the only firm offer, but we want him to stay, that has never changed.

"I have spoken with Mark and he is very much aware I want him here beyond this season. I don't need to give the reasons why, it is self-explanatory.

"We have to sit down and put something concrete to him. He is thinking about things, he needs to know if we can offer the career progress he wants.

"He has handled the speculation with great maturity. I couldn't be happier with him, not only on the field, but on the training ground."

Southgate insists that Viduka is in the best form of his career.

"We haven't started negotiations, but he is doing his talking on the field and that is fantastic because you want your players to respond that way when there is speculation."

"He is better than I have ever seen him at the moment. He is close to unstoppable."

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By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.