MIDDLESBROUGH have told out-of-favour midfielder Dean Windass he has no future on Teesside.

The 33-year-old is now looking for a new club after failing to force his way into manager Steve McClaren's plans.

Windass, who signed from Bradford City in March 2001, was linked with a number of clubs towards the end of last season - including Leicester, Derby and his hometown club Hull.

It had been expected that the former Aberdeen player, who can also play in attack, would have been shown the door in June.

But McClaren has acted now after drafting in new, younger blood during the summer.

Striker Massimo Maccarone, midfielders Geremi and George Boateng, as well as crocked Brazilian have all arrived at the Riverside. And the Boro boss has decided to allow Windass to leave.

His departure, meanwhile, strengthens forgotten man Joseph-Desire Job's claim of a first team place after being urged to finally kick-start his Boro career.

The 24-year-old has only made 12 first team starts since signing for Boro in a £3m deal two years ago.

But after a promising pre-season Job, who scored two in the reserves' 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Tuesday, has been told to keep up the good work.

Boro boss McClaren farmed the Cameroon international out on loan to French side Metz for five months at the start of this year.

No permanent deal was completed and the front-man returned in the summer determined to make a name for himself on Teesside, following the arrival of fellow-countryman Geremi from Real Madrid.

And McClaren's reserve team coach, Steve Round, admits that Job will be pushing hard on the first team door if he continues in the same vein of form.

"Of course he has a future here, a very, a good future if he plays like Tuesday," said Round.

"I still feel he can get better. He scored two goals on Tuesday and he maybe could have had one or two more. We are pleased with the way he is progressing, but he himself needs to up that and keep the progression going.

"Jo has come back to pre-season and done very, very well.

"I think having Geremi here, his good friend, has helped him.

"He has been a lot brighter and a lot livelier and I know he was excellent on Tuesday night. He was probably our best player."

Following Boro's goalless draw on the opening day of the Premiership season at Southampton, McClaren is looking for his forwards to show more invention in the final third of the pitch.

Juninho's cruciate knee ligament injury has left a void behind the front-two and Job could be an option to the Riverside chief for this Saturday's home clash with Fulham.

Another player who took part in the reserves' outing against the Magpies, at Gateshead's International Stadium, was Australian international Tony Vidmar.

The 32-year-old defender has been training at Rockliffe Park for nearly two weeks and he has been registered as a Boro player - but to play he would need to be granted international clearance.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has admitted he has taken an interest in signing out-of-favour Gianluca Festa.

It is understood the 33-year-old Italian is available for free and ex-Boro midfielder Paul Merson - now with Pompey - has given Festa a glowing reference.

Boro, it is believed, are ready to release Festa who is in the final year of his current deal. The defender has played more than 150 games for Boro since a £2.7m move from Inter Milan in 1997.

And Redknapp said: "We're talking to Middlesbrough about Gianluca Festa. I like him - he's a really strong presence at the back.

"I asked Paul Merson and he gave him a one million per cent recommendation."

Read more about Middlesbrough here.