GARETH SOUTHGATE will look to the foreign market if he fails to convince top target Sylvain Distin to move to Middlesbrough.

The Manchester City defender has proven himself in the top flight over the past few seasons but is angling for more than £40,000 a week.

And Southgate, made more aware of the importance of adding to his squad after Saturday's 3-2 defeat Reading, has been told to consider Fiorentina's Tomas Ujfalusi as a viable alternative.

The Czech Republic international's representatives have already been in touch with the Riverside Stadium hierarchy about a switch to the Premier League and a deal could be done.

There is also a chance Southgate could move for AZ Alkmaar defender Joris Mathijsen, although he will face competition from a number of other Premiership clubs if he decides to pursue that route.

Nevertheless, with just ten days to go until the transfer window closes, the Boro boss is keen to recruit and remains confident of landing at least one new signing before that date.

On the evidence of the opening 21 minutes at the Madejski Stadium, when Middlesbrough sailed into a 2-0 lead, there is not an awful lot wrong with his existing crop.

But the manner in which his players capitulated and squandered the chance of an opening day win is worrying and his players will endure a video nasty in training today.

"The lesson we need to learn is that we must continue to pass the ball the way we do it well," he said. "Maybe we switched off subconsciously but, when a game is going as well as that, the players can get a bit too comfortable.

"We are all frustrated. The players know what they have done and they don't need me to go on about it. We will look at things on Monday."

Southgate, who had no complaints about referee Mark Halsey's decision to wrongly rule out a Mark Viduka goal for offside, now hopes for his first managerial win against champions Chelsea at the Riverside on Wednesday night.

And he is confident the disappointment of Reading will stand his players in good stead.

"It's one of those games when you don't need to lift the players. It's the type of game every player loves to play in. It's a great fixture and it's also an opportunity to get off the mark in terms of points.," he said.

Southgate will assess injuries sustained to Julio Arca and George Boateng this morning after both men left Reading hobbling after taking knocks in tackles.

l Serbian duo Danijel Ljuboja and Dragoslav Jevric claim they are close to moves to Celtic. Striker Ljuboja is hoping to leave Stuttgart while goalkeeper Jevric is available on a free from Turkish side Ankaraspor.