Middlesbrough delight as Jonny Howson signs new contract - and has one clear aim

MIDDLESBROUGH captain Jonny Howson has ended the uncertainty over his future by signing a new one-year contract at the club.

Howson's deal was due to expire this summer but head coach Michael Carrick all but confirmed this week that the midfielder would be staying on Teesside, saying that Saturday's game against Watford was unlikely to be the 35-year-old's last outing in a Boro shirt.

And that has now been confirmed, with Howson putting pen to paper on his new deal.

Next season will be Howson's eighth as a Boro player, with the former Leeds and Norwich midfielder having racked up more than 300 appearances since joining in 2017.

In that time he's established himself as a hugely popular figure with the Boro fanbase.

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Earlier this week, he said: "From my point of view, I'll always give everything I've got. I can take it if someone thinks I can't pass, tackle, shoot but if anybody ever questioned my attitude that would hurt.

"It's a skill to do it day in day out because let's be honest, not everyone can keep going day in, day out. Form will naturally go up and down but commitment should never be questioned."

Howson will now be desperate to win promotion to the Premier League with Boro next season - something he's been determined to do since joining the club.

Howson remains as crucial as he's ever been at Boro. He's started 34 of 45 Championship games this season and no Boro player has racked up more minutes this term.

Meanwhile, Boro have also announced that teenage defender James Wilson - from Hurworth village - has signed his first professional contract with the club.