Jonny Howson reiterates Middlesbrough future hope amid continued contract uncertainty

Jonny Howson has reiterated his desire to stay at Middlesbrough next season, but says his future remains uncertain at this stage.

The 35-year-old had previously made clear that he planned to carry on playing next season, and hoped that would be at Boro. Out of contract at the end of the season, he is hoping to earn another 12-month contract, having been on rolling deals at the club for the last couple of seasons.

His performances have certainly merited a new deal of late, and both he and Carrick have hinted in recent weeks that his future will be at the Riverside next season. But experienced in the business of football after all these years in the game, Howson won't take anything to heart if Boro ultimately decide to let him move on at the end of the season.

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Making a guest appearance on the official EFL Podcast, Howson said: "I guess that's not for me to answer. You'll have to ask above me. Of course I'd love to stay. It's funny, because it's been very similar the past two or three seasons, where we'll get to this stage of the season and [then I pick up another contract].

"So it's nothing new regarding myself. I'm pretty relaxed about it, and if I can stay another season, great, I'd love to. If not, that's part and parcel of football. I'll look for another club. When you are a bit younger you see certain things that go on in football and it does take you by surprise. When you get to this age and you've seen certain things go on nothing surprises you.

"I don't say that flippantly, that's part and parcel of football. Nothing's personal, you learn as well, that's just how it is. If they want me for another season, great, I'd love to stay, but if not it's nothing personal. Football moves on and it doesn't work for anyone."

If Howson does get a new Boro deal it will take him into his eighth year at the club. A rare success of the ill-fated 2017 summer window, he was brought in at a time Boro were expected to get back to the Premier League on account of their parachute payments. While maybe now not expected, that goal very much remains the same for the skipper.

"What will be will be," he continued. "I want to go on as long as possible. I've had some great memories. My only disappointment would be that I came here to get promoted and I haven't achieved that, so from that point of view, it'd be a disappointment. But apart from that, I've loved it here. I'm sure we'll know within the next month or two."