Middlesbrough defender David Wheater wants to stay at the club and get them back in the Premier League, but he fears being sold to balance the books.
Wheater, a Boro fan, insists the prospect of Championship football will not prompt him to ask for a transfer, and he feels a year in the second tier will not harm his long-term England ambitions.
"I've got two more years left here so it is up to the manager," Wheater said. "I'm happy to stay here. I won't ask for a transfer but if the manager accepts another bid then that is a different matter."
He added: "Maybe if I was 28 or 29 and still hadn't played for England then I might be thinking differently but I've got plenty of years ahead to get in the England squad.
"I've supported Boro all my life so they are a team I want to be playing for at the moment and try to get them back up.
"That's where I want to be, the Premier League with Middlesbrough. I think we can get straight back. I think we have enough quality to do that."
Wheater admits the likes of Stewart Downing and Tuncay Sanli are "too good" for the Championship.
Downing's situation has been complicated by a long-term ankle injury, with his team-mates expecting him to be out for six months.
"I think Stewart Downing is too good for the Championship," Wheater said. "Tuncay as well, he's too good for the Championship. But it is down to them.
"I'd like to think that I'm too good for the Championship but that's obviously where I'm heading at the moment."
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Nice to see a local lad repay the club for helping make him a star, Downing should be allowed to leave as we will get good money for him and have a replacement in Johnson, a year or so in the championship should do Alves the world of good, get his confiedence back. I hope Gareth proves everyone wrong and goes on to be a top class manager for boro. I will be gutted to see the back of Tuncay but the rest are welcome to leave if they haven't got the stomach for a battle, cannot really see any premier team wanting any of them, not one of the so called stars had a half decent season
Paul, you have highlighted an important fact, except that the whole side suffered loss in confidence and sadly this is yet another issue that falls back on weak, inexperienced management. Look what happened to Hull, they had just enough points before their confidence went.
In the second half of the season David you were not to good for the Championship.You lost your confidence,lets hope you get it back.
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