AITOR KARANKA has challenged Middlesbrough’s title-winning young guns to stake a claim for a first-team spot when they kick-off the club’s pre-season programme at York City this lunchtime.

Boro’s development side claimed the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Second Division title last season, and nine members of the squad have been training with the Teessiders’ senior group in the opening week of pre-season training.

The majority will be involved in today’s game at Bootham Crescent, with Karanka set to name an entirely different line-up in each half.

That will give the likes of Dael Fry, Adam Jackson, Lewis Maloney, Harry Chapman and Callum Cooke an early chance to impress, and Karanka is hoping at least a couple of his youngsters progress sufficiently to claim a permanent place in the first-team squad next season.

“There is a chance that one or two of those players could break into the team,” said the Boro head coach. “There are some good players in that group, and I think some of them will go on to have a really good future.

“This is a big chance for them to show me what they can do, both in training and the matches. They have been training really well so far, with the same intensity as the more senior players.

“I am really happy with them because sometimes when you mix the first squad with the juniors, you can feel a difference. But the kids here have been training really well

“Some of them will be coming with us to Spain (next week) because we need them and I want to get to know them a bit better.”

Ben Gibson will not be involved today following his exploits with England Under-21s at the European Championships, and the centre-half is not expected to travel to Marbella either. Mustapha Carayol, Albert Adomah and Emilio Nsue have also been granted a longer break after their seasons were extended because of international commitments.

Boro’s last pre-season visit to York came in 2008, with David Wheater claiming a last-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.