Middlesbrough captain Emanuel Pogatetz says he would like to finish his career on Teesside.
Pogatetz keen to commit his future to Boro
Middlesbrough captain Emanuel Pogatetz says he would be happy to finish his career on Teesside if it was right for his family and club.
The defender has been linked with a move to Spanish side Real Betis, but the 26-year-old has dismissed the rumour as speculation.
Pogatetz insists he would like to commit his long-term future to Middlesbrough, but says there will be a number of factors to consider when he sits down with the club's bosses in the summer.
The skipper has almost 18 months left on his contract and he says any decision has to fit in with his wife and young family.
Pogatetz says his first option would be to stay in the North East, but he knows that the deal would also need to fit in with the club's long-term direction.
Stability
He admits stability will be a key factor in the outcome of any talks, especially considering the early stages of his career when he played for five different clubs in as many seasons before his £1.8million move to the Riverside in 2005.
The defender has plied his trade at Austrian clubs FC Kelag Karnten and Graz AK, German outfit Bayer Leverkusen and Russian team Spartak Moscow, but he says he has not ruled out a long-term stay in Middlesbrough.
The Austrian international told the
Evening Gazette: "I think if I can agree a new contract I could see myself ending my career here because I'm 26 now and if I agreed a long-term contract that would take me to 30-31.
"It would be a very, very nice thing to be at the club such a long time, but we will see.
"You always have to think about certain things as well. My first option would always be to stay here but everything has to be right for me and the club."
Pogatetz says he was bemused by the rumours linking him to Spanish side Real Betis and says he is keen to get his future resolved.
He added: "We've settled in and my daughter's going to nursery and she's started speaking English now. She's starting to get a Teesside accent now and I like that.
"Everything is enjoyable at the moment and hopefully I can stay here for a long time.
"We're really happy and I'm quite confident we can reach an agreement but it has to be right for both parties and sometimes it can take time."
