STEVE McCLAREN has hinted he wants to keep Bolo Zenden at Middlesbrough beyond this season with the Dutchman only tied to the club until June.

After months of contract wrangling, Boro finally landed their man in the summer when Zenden agreed to sign a 12-month deal at the Riverside Stadium.

The former Chelsea man has played in a number of positions since and has been a major factor in the club's rise to fourth in the Premiership.

It was his header at West Brom last week - his fourth goal in five games - that pushed Middlesbrough into a Champions League place.

And the 28-year-old has admitted he would already consider pledging his future to the Teesside outfit if talks were to take place.

Middlesbrough boss McClaren, talking ahead of today's match with Liverpool, last night suggested no discussions have taken place but that he always wanted to secure Zenden's services on a longer term deal.

"I would have liked to have signed Bolo for three of four years in the first place instead of just the one year," said McClaren. "But we have had no discussions yet about extending his contract.

"But he has played left-back, left-wing and just behind the striker. He is extremely versatile. We have put him back into the middle again with Gaizka Mendieta out injured and he is playing exceptionally.

"With Ray Parlour and Stewart Downing out wide, Bolo has the perfect foil in George Boateng alongside him in the middle. It gives Bolo the freedom to push on and it is working well for us."

Zenden's appearance in the middle of midfield today could mean a battle with Liverpool's skipper Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard has been out with a broken metatarsal since suffering the injury in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20.

But the dynamic midfielder is expected to be involved at some point today, as Middlesbrough look to extend their unbeaten league run to seven games.

Gerrard was not involved in Liverpool's 2-0 Carling Cup win over the Teessiders ten days ago and does dramatically improve the Reds' game. But McClaren believes his team have enough about them to combat Gerrard's threat.

"In Ray, George, Bolo and Stewart Liverpool will have to be aware of us and we will have to make sure we dominate the midfield," said the Middlesbrough boss, who has worked with Gerrard for England. But Steven is becoming the complete midfield player. If you look at his game he can only be described as something like an all-action midfield player.

"He is fantastic to work with and a fantastic lad, an absolute pleasure.

"He was phenomenal against us at Anfield last season and he drove Liverpool on to a Champions League spot.

"We respect Liverpool and Steven Gerrard but when you look at our midfield, Liverpool are going to have to respect us as well. I'm sure they will."

Striker Szilard Nemeth returns to the squad today after overcoming the groin injury that has sidelined him for a month.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.