Milner key to O'Neil departure

6:03am Saturday 17th May 2008

MIDDLESBROUGH are in no mood to sell unsettled midfielder Gary O'Neil on the cheap, but Newcastle's James Milner has emerged as a strong candidate to replace the former Portsmouth man.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate is a long-standing admirer of Milner and views him as a suitable alternative to O'Neil on the right wing if the latter's situation fails to improve.

Southgate intends to recruit hungry, promising midfielders this summer and if O'Neil departs, the boss would not be prepared to wave his plans.

Milner, 22, fits the bill. Newcastle are likely to fend off any bid for the England Under-21 international from Teesside, but Southgate has the Magpies man high on his wanted list.

"We have to start looking to bring in some young players we can develop," said Southgate, hinting at Milner, who has not figured for Kevin Keegan's side since the defeat to Liverpool in March.

"We never seem to be in that position as a club to be able to develop from within, but we have never invested in young players who you take a chance on and hope will come through."

In football terms, O'Neil is satisfied with life at the Riverside Stadium, although on a personal level, with his family in mind, he would prefer to return south.

Southgate will be doing everything he can to persuade O'Neil that his future remains in the North-East after proving himself in the first half of the season to be a viable solution to a right-side problem that has dogged the club for the last few years.

The Middlesbrough manager would be the first to admit that his off-the-field dissatisfaction has had a negative impact on O'Neil's performances since the turn of the year.

That's why Southgate would listen to offers for O'Neil if it becomes clear by the time pre-season training starts in July that the player's desire is still to move on.

"My ideal (with O'Neil) is that we get everything settled and he is with us because he can improve.

"We definitely want to keep him," said Southgate.

While Milner and Chelsea's Steve Sidwell are two players very much in his plans, Southgate has discounted the suggestion that he is interested in Sheffield United's versatile midfielder Michael Tonge.

Tonge, 25, has previously attracted interest from Liverpool and Tottenham, but Southgate will not be making a move.

"Even he is more of an experienced player," said the Middlesbrough boss.

"He is a good player but I am thinking even younger than that. Players with all the time ahead of them.

"We also know that maybe in the Academy we have a crop that has come through together, though maybe only one or two currently might step up

" That is the age group we're looking at.

"We have Tom Craddock as the only young striker at the club now since Ben Hutchinson went to Celtic. Jonathan Franks and Nathan Porritt are more wide players, so there is a role there for any bright young striker."

South Korea striker Dong-Gook Lee is in negotiations with five Japanese teams after being released.

The 29-year-old left the Riverside on Tuesday after failing to hold down a regular first-team place following his move to England in January last year.

"We cannot disclose all the teams under negotiation, but we plan to make our choice within the next three months,'' said Lee's agent Kim Ki-Hoon.

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