ASTON VILLA have been warned to forget about landing a Teesside treble by Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate after he insisted David Wheater is going nowhere.

Following Boro’s drop out of the Premier League, Villa have been in touch with Riverside Stadium chiefs to discuss the availability of the centre-back, Stewart Downing and Tuncay Sanli.

While there is every likelihood that Downing and Tuncay will be recruited by Villa manager Martin O’Neill, Southgate claims Wheater will not be joining them.

With Wheater regarded in the £9m bracket, and his teammates expected to recoup around £20m when they are sold, Villa could have handed almost £30m to Middlesbrough this summer.

Such a figure would go a long way to boosting Southgate’s own rebuilding plans as he attempts to assemble a squad for the Championship and he has confirmed holding talks with former Sheffield United striker Danny Webber, who is also wanted by Crystal Palace.

But, regardless of the fee, the Middlesbrough boss is in no mood to offload Wheater.

“David’s not for sale. He has expressed his desire to stay, and the likes of him and Matthew Bates, who’s also committed himself to the club, are the types in terms of quality and hunger and desire that we want,” said Southgate.

“We have to build our team around those types of characters and the guys who are coming in now are the same.

As far as I’m concerned, and the club is concerned, we wouldn’t welcome bids for David. I think the key to that is that he’s expressed his desire to stay.

“The agents that work with him have been very supportive in that, and that’s been refreshing for us as well.”

Wheater is contracted to the club he supported as a child for a further two years and he has previously outlined an intention to help Middlesbrough back into the Premier League.

Wheater failed to reach the heights he hit in his first season, when he forced his way into Fabio Capello’s England plans. Southgate, though, is convinced the 22-year-old is a future captain of the club.

“One of the next stages is for him to develop his leadership skills,” he said. “People look at centre-halves and they want good communicators.

“They want guys with physical stature, but who have leadership abilities and I think we have to work at that.

He’s shown his ability and, with experience, that leadership will start to emerge.

“I would say he can be one of the leaders in the group but, at the moment, I think it’s a bit early for him to be a captain.”

A season in the Championship will be new to Southgate and the vast majority of the Middlesbrough squad.

But the manager feels Wheater epitomises the spirit which he feels will be running through his squad next season, as they look to climb back into the Premier League at the first attempt.

“I had a year in this division when I was 23 and we won the league. It was one of the most enjoyable seasons I played a part in,” said Southgate, a former Crystal Palace defender.

“It’s only ego that would prevent you from having a real go at a year in this division, and I don’t think David has a particularly big ego.

“He just wants to improve as a player, and the challenge for lots of our players this year is ‘Can they be the best in their position in this division?’ “What I suspect we’ll be left with as a squad is players who have a real desire to get back into the Premier League.

“They’ll all have a point to prove and the best way for everybody to achieve their aims is to mould together as a group and get this club back where we want it to be.”