Fans chanted 'Sign Him Up' after a Viduka double downed Watford at the weekend and a queue of other clubs are said to be lined up interested in him.

Now Southgate has revealed the burly Aussie striker is having a “think” on a new deal at the Riverside.

The 31-year-old's current contract with Boro expires this summer but he's in no rush to sign.

He's believed to be concerned about Boro's ambitions and wants firm promises on what lies ahead for the club.

"We need to get top-quality players in because everybody in the dressing room wants to go to that next level," he said.

"I think the club needs to have faith in Gareth and help him to buy the players he thinks are good."

When asked if he wanted to sign for next season, Viduka replied simply: "Yeah yeah."

"Talks are ongoing and Mark is having a think about things," said Southgate.

"I am very relaxed about it. He knows my position on it and I respect the fact that he wants time to think about things.

"He has said he is enjoying his football, which I think he is. When you are as close to the end of a contract as he is, you have got lots of different things to think about.

"It is a situation I am very, very comfortable with and we will just have to see what develops."

He added: "I don't think Mark's performances will deteriorate as he ages because he's such an intelligent player.

"He's got special talent. Teddy Sheringham would be his English equivalent and he performed well into his late 30s.

"Of course you have to be careful about the length of contract you give any players over 30 because you never know what's going to happen at that stage of your life.

"I was quite a fit guy, but I sensed in my last season that things had changed - and I know that Arsène Wenger doesn't give his over-30s a contract for more than a year. It would be your ideal scenario, but we're not quite in a position where we can do that."