BELGIAN club Zulte Waregem have turned down the chance to sign Julien de Sart, but the Middlesbrough midfielder still sees his future away from English football.

De Sart spent last season on loan at Waregem, and made 23 league appearances as his temporary employers finished ninth in the Jupiler League.

The 23-year-old joined Middlesbrough from Standard Liege in February 2016, but with his first-team chances at the Riverside having proved extremely limited, a clause was inserted into his loan deal at Waregem enabling the Belgian side to complete a permanent transfer this summer.

However, Waregem officials have informed him they will not be triggering the arrangement, meaning de Sart, who has one year of his current Middlesbrough contract remaining, is due to report back to Rockliffe Park when Pulis’ first-team squad begin their pre-season programme later this summer.

It is hard to imagine him playing much of a role under Tony Pulis, and the Teessiders will listen to offers for his services once the transfer window officially reopens next month.

He spent the second half of the 2016-17 season on loan at Derby County, and could be of interest to some of Boro’s Championship rivals, although he personally sees his long-term future lying abroad.

“There have been talks in the past month which made it clear that Zulte Waregem will not take me,” said de Sart, whose last Middlesbrough appearance came in a League Cup defeat at Fulham under Aitor Karanka in August 2016.

“I currently have no idea where my future lies. My contract in England is still running for a year, but I would prefer to go abroad. I want to discover other championships and cultures.”

De Sart is one of a number of loan players who are due to return to Boro ahead of the start of next season, and it remains to be seen how many are involved in Pulis’ plans.

Youngsters Connor Ripley, Marcus Tavernier, Lewis Wing and Harry Chapman will hope to force their way into Boro’s senior group, while Ashley Fletcher could have a role to play after spending the second half of last season on loan at Middlesbrough.

However, Pulis will almost certainly look to sell Martin Braithwaite, who played in France’s Ligue 1 with Bordeaux from January onwards, and Antonio Barragan, who spent the whole of last season with Spanish side Real Betis.