MIDDLESBROUGH new boy Szilard Nemeth is set to miss the start of the season after yesterday undergoing a shock hernia operation.

The Slovakia striker, recruited from Inter Bratislava by former Boro boss Bryan Robson, was expected to begin training this week under the new Steve McClaren regime.

But an injury sustained while on international duty last month means the 23-year-old is almost certainly sidelined for six weeks.

McClaren said: "Once it was clear he had the problem, we faced the choice of either leaving it and seeing if it sorted itself out, or taking action now.

"We decided on the latter option. It's obviously disappointing to lose Szilard at the start of our pre-season training.

"But the important thing now is that he makes a quick recovery so he is fit early in the season."

Nemeth is Boro's fifth hernia casualty this summer - Hamilton Ricard, Steve Vickers, Ugo Ehiogu and Robbie Mustoe have all undergone similar surgery.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that McClaren identified Aston Villa's Gareth Southgate as his No 1 target before he quit as right-hand man to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Southgate, who was on Teesside yesterday for further talks over his anticipated £6.5m move, was always top of McClaren's transfer hit-list.

In fact, England international Southgate could have joined West Ham if McClaren had instead opted to launch his managerial career at Upton Park.

The Hammers were first to speak to McClaren before Boro snatched him from under their noses.

Northern Echo Sport can also reveal that McClaren told the West Ham board he wanted sports psychologist Bill Beswick as part of his backroom staff.

But the Hammers' loss has been Boro's gain, with McClaren installing Beswick as his assistant manager, luring first-team coach Steve Harrison and goalkeeping specialist Paul Barron from Villa, and appointing Derby's Steve Round as reserve-team coach.

Read more about the Boro here.