'Tony Pulis set to leave Middlesbrough after receiving no contract extension offer'

'Tony Pulis set to leave Middlesbrough after receiving no contract extension offer'

Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis is expected to leave The Riverside Stadium this week after spending 2-years at the club.

According to reports coming from multiple media outlets, Tony Pulis is set to leave Middlesbrough after the expiry of his current deal with the club. 

There were rumours coming into this week that Pulis’ contract with the club gave the 61-year-old the option to extend it by 12-months. 

However the club has dismissed reports of any such clause, meaning that Boro would soon be searching for a new manager.

Boro appointed the former Stoke City manager in December 2017 and was almost immediately rewarded as Pulis guided them to playoffs that season.

After being defeated by Aston Villa in the semi-finals, Boro spent the summer of 2018 selling several of their key players in a bid to balance the books.

They made a brilliant start to the 2018/19 campaign, winning four of their first six games in the Championship. 

Still, while Boro remained in playoff positions for most of the season, their failure in front of goal cost them a top-six spot, with many Boro fans calling for Pulis to go. 

Pulis said after Boro’s last game of the season that he was looking forward to meeting Steve Gibson to discuss his future at the Teesside. 

"I’m hoping Steve is going to buy me a nice bottle of red wine and then we can sit down and have a chat about things."

"I’ll speak to Steve. I don’t think I should be saying anything without speaking to him first. That’s the respect I’ve got for the fella."

"I’m not saying anything until I’ve spoken to Steve. The most important thing, and I think he knows it, is that I’ve given it everything I’ve got."

"Let’s talk about it, and see how things go. I’m not really putting a timescale on things, I’ll wait for Steve to give me a ring."

"He’s a wonderful man. I’ve got great respect for him, and a great relationship with him."

And as reports have suggested, the conversation, which will take place this week, won’t involve Gibson offering Pulis a new deal.

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