MASSIMO Maccarone has been assured by Italian outfit Siena that they intend to make sure he does not have to return to Middlesbrough this summer.

Maccarone has been on loan back in his homeland since September after being deemed surplus to requirements by manager Steve McClaren in his side's quest for a UEFA Cup place this season.

Initially he was on loan at Parma but, after failing to impress and being sidelined with a serious injury for a few months, the 25-year-old has been at Siena since the turn of the year and has impressed.

Maccarone has scored seven goals in as many starts in recent months and it has been his form that has largely turned things around for Siena in their quest to avoid relegation to Serie B.

The striker's form has not gone unnoticed by the Tuscan club's board and they have started to explore the possibility of striking a deal with Boro to retain the player's services.

"I personally wanted Maccarone in the first place and I'll try everything to keep him with us," Siena president Paolo de Luca said last night, who is hoping to strike a cut-price deal for the two-times Italy international.

Siena's admission they want to keep Maccarone on their books comes when Boro are prepared to listen to offers for their peripheral front-men, with Aiyegbeni Yakbu poised to sign next month.

Northern Echo SPORT revealed yesterday how McClaren is believed to be aiming to offload at least two of his forwards before the start of the new campaign - with Joseph Job, Szilard Nemeth and Malcolm Christie also available.

Maccarone would prefer to return to Boro and prove he can hack it on the Premiership stage, having scored just 15 times in 57 appearances after making a club record £8.15m transfer from Empoli in July 2000.

Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer, meanwhile, has urged the rest of the squad to book a UEFA Cup place next season for the fans.

The Teessiders travel to Manchester City on Sunday for the final Premiership game of the campaign knowing a point is required to claim seventh spot.

Defeat and City will be the side playing in Europe come August and Schwarzer insists that will not be what the Riverside's supporters deserve.

The Aussie was part of the Boro team that made it through to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup before being dumped out by Sporting Lisbon in March.

And Schwarzer said: "The fans have given us a real lift all season and that was the case against Tottenham last weekend.

"The fans of clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal are used to the cost and logistics of following a team in Europe, but our supporters have been great, travelling to the Czech Republic, Greece, Austria and Portugal, while also getting to all the domestic league and cup games.

"It means a great deal to the players, and we're determined to reward that support by qualifying for the UEFA Cup again."

Experienced defender Colin Cooper, out of contract next month, is in talks with Boro over a new dual role with the club. Cooper, 38, looks destined to sign terms that would allow him to keep playing while enjoying a coaching role.