MIDDLESBROUGH defender Steve Vickers will next week seek contract talks with new boss Steve McClaren.

Vickers, one of Boro's longest-serving players after seven-and-a-half years at the club, only has 12 months left on his current deal and is hoping to agree an extension.

The 33-year-old centre-back said: "I feel I've just had one of my best seasons and I'd like a new deal.''

Full-back Curtis Fleming recently marked his testimonial year with Boro by signing a new two-year deal and fellow defender Colin Cooper has also been offered fresh terms. Vickers will report back for training next Thursday, four days ahead of most of his teammates, to step up his recovery from an end-of-season hernia operation.

Midfielder Robbie Mustoe, defender Ugo Ehiogu and striker Hamilton Ricard have also undergone hernia surgery.

Meanwhile, as McClaren attempts to make Aston Villa defender Gareth Southgate his first signing, the Boro manager has been linked with an interest in Sturm Graz right-back Markus Schopp.

The 26-year-old first came to McClaren's attention when Sturm Graz faced Manchester United in the Champions' League.

Revised list of Boro's pre-season games:

First team - Wednesday, July 25: Scarborough (A) 7.30pm; Saturday, July 28: Mansfield Town (A) 3pm;

Wednesday, August 1: Preston North End (A) 7.45pm;

Thursday, August 9: Willem II Tilburg, Holland (A) 8pm; Saturday, August 11: FC Den Haag, The Hague, Holland (A) 5pm.

Reserves - Sunday, July 22: Berwick Rangers (A) 2pm; Thursday, July 26: Billingham Synthonia (A) 7pm; Saturday, July 28: Durham City (A) 3pm; Wednesday, August 1: Morecambe (A) 7.45pm.

* Controversial Italian businessman Giovanni di Stefano has revealed he intends to try and take former Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson to Norwich as 'director of sport'.

Di Stefano claims he has bought a six per cent stake in the First Division club from minority shareholder and disillusioned fan Jimmy Jones.

Di Stefano, who acted as a lawyer to assassinated Serbian warlord Arkan, has already vowed to use his connections to bring in young players from the Balkans, Italy and even Iraq to help revitalise the Canaries' fortunes.

But the 46-year-old entrepreneur has now turned his immediate attentions to bringing Robson, who was replaced at the Riverside by Steve McClaren earlier this month, to the East Anglian club.

''We need someone like Mr Robson as a director of sport and it is something that I intend to follow up to try and get him, or somebody like him, who can take this club into the Premier Division,'' di Stefano said.

''We want to have somebody with experience of the Premier League in the last two years.''

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