WHILE Middlesbrough waste no time in bringing in new faces to the club as part of their ‘big rebuild’, Chris Wilder has had conversations with the players he intends to keep over an improvement in their performances.

Following face-to-face talks with all of the playing squad on Monday, Boro have released Sol Bamba, Neil Taylor and Lee Peltier after the conclusion of their contracts. Jonny Howson has been offered fresh terms after being a stand out figure in the team and winning the club’s Player of the Year award.

Meanwhile, the club are willing to listen to offers for goalkeeping duo Joe Lumley and Luke Daniels as the manager makes a new goalkeeper a transfer priority. Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow currently stands at the top of the list with other Championship goalkeepers currently being monitored.

But Wilder has known who he wants to build his team around for a number of months since he took over last November. As part of Monday’s reconstruction job, there has been some honest talks with some senior players after the club failed to secure a place in the Championship play-offs.

“There are certainly some boys here that have got talent, but in a way are under-performing” said the Boro boss.

“The likes of (Paddy) McNair and (Isaiah) Jones, who on the face of it have had good seasons, there is loads more to come from them. There is loads more to come from Dael Fry. There are players like Riley McGree who has shown his ability in glimpses but I need to get more out of him. (Marcus) Tavernier has had a decent season and I need to get more out of him. But there are boys who aren’t on the journey and that’s part and parcel of this ruthless game that we’re in.

“Sentiment and loyalty goes out the window because the job is to bring back success to this football club.”

While the standards of the team seem like they are going to markedly improve of the summer months and incomings are expected, the manager admits that his players need to revitalise themselves over the summer.

Boro could be expected back in pre-season earlier than expected due to an earlier start to the Championship campaign due to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over the winter.

Wilder continued: “Yeah, it is a tough season and you see the intensity of the Championship. Everyone has to rest and relax and go again, even the manager as well. I might need a couple of days off my phone, get myself a bit of sun and a couple of beers.

“But you realise when you’re in this job there isn’t really a time to chill out really because your mind is always working overtime. That’s what it does, it overtakes you. Anybody who is a manager will say the same thing; it’s always with you and there is very precious time that you have to switch off.

“That’s how it is. Some people think we’re mad, but we carry on and we go again.

Boro may well face interest from clubs for the likes of McNair, Jones, Fry, Tavernier and McGree over the summer but the club are not expected to sell any of their key personnel.

Wilder name checking a number of players who he intends to improve next season is not an admission that everyone else is open season. The likes of Matt Crooks and Anfernee Dijksteel are expected to stay at the club beyond the summer while Howson considers the terms of his new contract.