Future of several players is on line

THE harsh spectre of relegation will not be sitting pretty in the Boro dressing room.

In fact, quite a few players will be well aware they are playing for their futures.

Every reason, then, for the squad to mount a mammoth Leicester-type combined effort – starting with Arsenal tomorrow night.

There is every chance the club’s top-paid stars will be moved on during the summer to ease the pressure on the wage bill.

That is in addition to the prospect for some players they will be considered no longer good enough and may be moved out as a result.

With potential savage cuts in mind, it is good to hear the positive overtures which emanated from the Boro dressing room last week.

Even so, off-field bravado is one thing, action on the pitch is another.

Boro’s players must overcome their private fears and play collectively with strong minds to try to put together a positive run of results.

While a near miracle is required, the threat of relegation will not suit the squad’s star players just as it will frustrate the other team members.

If Boro are relegated, it is a racing certainly they will not be able to complete a permanent transfer of Alvaro Negredo, who is reported to be receiving £100,000 a week in wages during his loan spell.

Negredo has worked hard for the team and would surely have done a lot better had he been paired with a second striker all season.

Now the Spaniard faces the prospect of returning to his host club Valencia, where things did not go too well for him in the past.

His uncertain future could involve Valencia attempting to move him out on loan elsewhere for another season.

Calum Chambers will also be returning to Arsenal with question marks hanging over his immediate future at the Emirates.

The England international was one of Boro’s top men in the first half of the season but has struggled with injuries since and not played much football.

He was initially sent out by Arsene Wenger to get a solid season under his belt at Boro with a view to returning to Arsenal and hopefully fighting for a

regular place in the first- Anxious times for Boro players and fans alike as they battle relegation team line-up. Having missed so much football on Teesside through injury, Chambers now faces a fresh battle to return to where he needs to be.

It is inevitable Brad Guzan and Gaston Ramirez will be leaving as both men have indicated they believe their futures lie elsewhere.

Guzan is reported to be on his way to Atlanta United while Boro will attempt to sell the disappointing Ramirez.

Leicester City were said to be very keen on Ramirez in January but the Teessiders insisted he was staying put,

There might have been a healthy fee attached if Boro had sold the Uruguayan at the time but injuries have probably led to his market value – and the interest in him – falling somewhat.

A great deal is also being written about Ben Gibson’s future. Any one of a number of Premier League clubs could make a £25m-plus offer which Boro will find very difficult to turn down.