Middlesbrough's preparations for life outside the Barclays Premier League are already under way as they come to terms with relegation.

Boss Gareth Southgate has already opened talks with his existing squad members in an attempt to discover which of them are prepared to stay and fight for an immediate return to the big time, and which of them want to move on swiftly.

Now he will sit down with chairman Steve Gibson to finalise how best the club can recover from a setback to the five-year blueprint they put together three summers ago.

Southgate said: "We want to try to get straight back up, so we have to put together a team and a squad that can win more games next season.

"I will definitely be sitting down with the chairman to plan what's going to happen.

"We are ready to make big changes in the playing staff. I have to accept there will be personal agendas over the summer, so it's important that I get a clear picture as quickly as possible. That's why I need to see a lot of players. As soon as I know what they want, then I will know what I have to do."