Southgate: Hasselbaink could stay

Gareth Southgate claims in-form Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink “would love to stay” at Middlesbrough beyond his current contract, which expires in the summer.

Hasselbaink was linked with a move away from Boro during the January transfer window when he was understood to be attracting the interest of Charlton, Fulham and West Brom.

But the striker remained at the Riverside Stadium and has responded with a flurry of goals including a brace in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Steve McClaren admitted after the game that Hasselbaink remaining for at least another season “was not out of the question” and Southgate is convinced the ex-Chelsea player would gladly extend his stay on Teesside.

Southgate said: “Jimmy is a goalscorer. Him staying in January was one of the crucial things for us, no question about that.

“He has scored those goals in the period since Christmas and he is a key player for us.

“Does he want to stay at Boro? I am sure he would love to. His two seasons here have, for him, been successful and all he can doing is scoring goals and then see what happens really.”

Southgate admits he has been impressed with Hasselbaink’s professionalism since arriving at Boro.

He said: “He is a good pro. The thing that has impressed me more anything is how he works in training and how he works after training, the things that other people don’t see.

“It is a credit to him that he is playing the way he is and looking after himself the way he is.

“Can he play onto into his late 30s like Teddy Sheringham? Only time we will. He is a more explosive player so it is difficult to know. He alters his game and works ever so hard for us. He puts a great shift in.

“People might say that at his age you would expect him to take a back seat but he puts the graft in.”

Hasselbaink did not look full of joy when he was substituted against West Brom after his clinical finishing had killed off the Baggies.

But Southgate said: “Jimmy wants to win and he would have wanted to score a hat-trick. That’s goalscorers. They always want a bit more and that’s the attitude you need.”

Southgate is also full of praise for his defensive partner Chris Riggott and feels he can use Boro’s forthcoming UEFA Cup games with Roma to enhance his England prospects.

He said: “I think the World Cup might come too soon for Chris but there have been people called into squads from more glamorous clubs and that is what he is fighting against.

“The UEFA Cup run for us is a great stage for Chris to perform and show his talents and he is now performing consistently week in and week out.

“He has a consistent run in the side and he has to keep developing the way he is and he is improving all the time.”

After an upturn in their fortunes, Boro can make virtually sure of their top-flight status for another season if they dispose of Birmingham on Saturday.

Southgate said: “Sunday was the first time in 50-odd league games that we have had back to back wins and it was important we followed up the Chelsea game with something positive.

“To win it in the manner we did was good and we’ve got to go on and do the same against Birmingham next week now.

“The pleasing thing is we are putting a string of results together now and we are looking harder to play against and harder to beat and we are starting to keep clean sheets and we will always score goals with the players we have got.

“Winning also lifts everybody. You could see at West Brom that there was a confidence about the team. It is incredible really. Three weeks ago we couldn’t see where the next win was coming from.

“But we’ve gone back to basics, ground things out and now we are starting to see a reward for that.”