Boateng signs new Boro deal

Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng has signed a new three-year contract.

Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng has signed a new three-year contract.

Boateng has established himself as a key member of the Boro side and is a big fans favourite at the Riverside.

The 30-year-old Dutch international, whose contract was due to run out in June, expressed his delight at the new deal.

"It's been a long time coming because I think it was last year when I started negotiations with the club," Boateng told club's website.

"But right from the start I made my feelings quite clear that I wanted to stay.

"I feel so happy not only to be staying but because I have kept my word to the club and to those people, especially our fans, who had perhaps doubted that I would stay."

The signing of Boateng, who moved to Boro in a £5 million move from Aston Villa four years ago, will be a boost to whoever takes over the vacant manager's position at The Riverside following Steve McClaren's departure at the end of the season.

Boateng insisted there was nothing sinister in the delay in him signing a new deal saying he was not interested in moving to another club.

"I wasn't waiting to see if there was anything better out there. I have kept my word," Boateng added. "I haven't disappointed anybody.

"It was simply that we - that is me and the club - had other priorities. Every time we thought there might be time to sit down to talk something else important came along so we had to postpone negotiations.

"I was always confident it would be sorted out. When I had chance to sit down with the chairman Steve Gibson, chief executive Keith Lamb, my wife and my advisors we managed to do everything in the shortest possible time. In fact, it was all done in a day."