O'Neil, 25, was unsettled on Teesside in the second half of last season following his £5million summer switch from Portsmouth, and Southgate admitted he faced a fight to keep him at the club.

However, following the player's return to the North East, the two men sat down together and Southgate received the news which he had been hoping for.

The manager said: "I am delighted. He has come back a lot more settled and he is determined to try to give it a go.

"He feels after the second half of last season, he owes us a little bit, and it is fantastic to know that.

big part

"I am delighted. He was superb up to Christmas for us and then because he was unsettled and doing a lot of travelling, that affected his performances.

"But I am thrilled that he has come back and wants to play a big part with us because we know the quality of his play."

The news could hardly have been better timed for Southgate as he presented 21-year-old French midfielder Didier Digard and 20-year-old Dutch striker Marvin Emnes to the media on Wednesday.

Boro have paid around £7.2million for the Paris St Germain player and his Sparta Rotterdam counterpart, who have both signed four-year contracts.