JULIO Arca has told Gareth Southgate he wants to stay at Middlesbrough, but he will have to reassess his options if he is regularly omitted from the first team.

Arca started just 14 Premier League matches last season, his worst return since he moved to England as a teenager in July 2000.

His lack of involvement has alerted a number of clubs in South America, with the Argentinian press reporting he is being lined up for a possible return to his homeland.

Arca, who scored the opening goal in Saturday’s 3-0 friendly win at Macclesfield, insists he is keen to remain on Teesside.

But the 28-year-old has met Southgate to discuss his firstteam prospects following relegation to the Championship.

“I have another two years left on my contract and I want to spend them at Middlesbrough,”

said Arca. “I am still fully committed to being a Middlesbrough player.

“I have explained to the manager and people in the club that I do not want to leave Middlesbrough, but I have also told them that I want to play. As long as I get the chance to play, I want to stay here.

“But the important thing is I play. I don’t want to be sitting on the bench in the Championship.

“Last season was a bit in and out for me and I never really got a settled run in the team. If things do not go well, we will have to see what happens.

But at the moment, I want to stay here and play.”

Arca’s experience could prove invaluable next season, as the midfielder knows all about life in the Championship having helped Sunderland win promotion to the Premier League in 2005.

Arca played in all but six of Sunderland’s matches as they claimed 94 points to finish the season as champions, and remembers just how tough it was to succeed in the second tier.

The former Black Cat has told his team-mates to expect a series of physical battles over the next nine months, but despite the departure of Stewart Downing to Aston Villa, remains confident Middlesbrough have what it takes to bounce back at the first time of asking.

“It’s going to be very hard,” said Arca. “People are talking about who will win promotion and who will not, but I know for a fact that it is a very tough league with a lot of teams that are capable of challenging for promotion.

“It is a long season and it’s physically hard. There are good players playing in the Championship, and good teams that are used to being in the Premier League like Middlesbrough.

“You have everything in this league. You can win against the top team in the league, but then get beat against the team that is at the bottom.

“We will see what happens.

It is a competitive league, but we have some good players here who are capable of making a difference.”