However, amid speculation that Turkish club Fenerbahce could be preparing to renew their interest in striker Ayegbeni Yakubu, who they tried to sign during his time at Portsmouth, Southgate was quick to insist he is not under pressure to part with his biggest assets.

Asked about Yakubu, he said: “It is the first I have heard about it. It is not something I am aware of. As far as I am concerned, despite the recent run he has had, he is our top goalscorer and we are not in a rush to lose players of that importance.

“I am under no pressure to sell players, that’s for sure, and from my point of view, that is a great position to be in.

“Obviously, as we did with Franck Queudrue earlier in the year, if you get an offer you think is something you should take as a club, then that decision has to be made. But we are not looking to move any of our better players on, that’s for sure.”

Yakubu, 24, is without a goal in 11 games, but remains the club’s joint top scorer alongside Mark Viduka, who claimed his 16th of the season in the 3-2 home defeat by Tottenham last weekend.

The 31-year-old Australian is out of contract at the end of the season and Boro are desperately trying to get him to follow Jonathan Woodgate’s example and commit his future to the club.

There has been interest from other parties – potential buyers do not have to inform Boro because of his contractual situation – and while Southgate remains hopeful of securing his services, he knows time is running out.

He said: “I have been speaking to Mark again this week and understandably, the longer it goes towards the end of the season, he has more options available to him.

“That is always the risk you run when players are in the last few weeks of their contract. But he knows my feelings on it and we still hope to persuade him to stay here.”

Meanwhile, the Teessiders have confirmed that 20-year-old full-back Andrew Taylor will undergo surgery on his persistent toe problem within the next fortnight in an effort to have him ready for the start of the new campaign.

The operation will mean the Hartlepool-born defender will miss England’s European Under-21 Championship campaign in Holland next month.

Southgate said: “It is a minor operation we have been advised Andrew needs, but we are not anticipating any problems and he should be fine for the start of next season.”

Taylor has established himself as Southgate’s first-choice left-back this season after emerging from the academy in fine style.