MALCOLM CHRISTIE believes Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren will be right to step up his search for a striker in the summer.

Christie is one of a bunch of forwards at the club but McClaren is still on the look out for more - with Sunderland's Kevin Phillips rumoured to be high on the shopping list.

And the former Derby front-man believes Boro's lack of goals in recent weeks justifies the manager's decision to try to boost his squad.

"I don't think it would be a shock if the manager is looking for more strikers because in the last few games we have not scored goals," said Christie, who has scored three times since arriving in January.

"If we are not scoring then he is obviously going to be looking at bringing new players in.

"There has been names mentioned but all I can keep doing is plug away and try to convince the manager to pick me.

"I think change in the summer is inevitable. The manager will probably let a few players go and then they will need replacing.

"I'm sure if the manager wants players then the chairman is the sort who will back him up. I'm sure we will see a few faces at the start of next season."

Christie has become a regular in McClaren's starting line-up, while the battle to become his partner has heated up - with Massimo Maccarone, Szilard Nemeth, Joseph-Desire Job and Michael Ricketts all competing for places.

But, despite currently being the current first choice at the Riverside, the former England Under-21 star revealed his determination to succeed.

"I knew when I came that the strikers already here were good," he said.

"That's why I said when I came here I didn't expect to get into the side much this season.

"I am maybe in the side now but you can't get complacent. I work really hard and I hope the manager appreciates that.

"I have played with a lot of different strikers, so I don't know whether the manager knows his best two yet or will he go out in the summer and buy someone else?"

Boro play their last home game of the season against Tottenham tomorrow and McClaren's men are desperate to end a poor run of three successive defeats.

Meanwhile, Carlos Marinelli's proposed move to Torino is now understood to have broken down over personal terms.

Marinelli has been on loan at the Italian giants and it was thought he was on the verge of making the switch permanent at the end of the season.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.