Britt Assombalonga & Ashley Fletcher: Middlesbrough's out-of-contract strikers will not play for club again

Britt Assombalonga scored 45 goals in 152 league appearances for Middlesbrough

Out-of-contract pair Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga will not play for Middlesbrough again this season.

BBC Radio Tees understands the strikers were told they will not feature for Boro anymore at a meeting on Tuesday.

Assombalonga, 28, cost a club record £17m to sign from Nottingham Forest in July 2017, while Fletcher, 25, joined from West Ham for £6m.

Speaking after Wednesday's 2-1 win at Rotherham, boss Neil Warnock said he "just felt the time was right".

"We've only got four games left," he added. "I just felt it was the right time to involve some of the youngsters."

The decision has been taken after a five-match run without a win ended Boro's slim chances of finishing in the Championship's play-off spots.

Boss Neil Warnock spoke about both players' contract situation earlier this year.

"There are a lot of players out of contract. What will be, will be, we'll worry about that when we have to," he said in January.

He also confirmed in February that they had offered Fletcher, who scored 19 goals in 91 league games, a new deal but that the former Manchester United player had indicated he did not wish to commit to anything until the summer.