Gareth Southgate is quietly confident of fending off mounting Premier League interest in versatile youngster Matthew Bates.
Bates was a frequent fixture both in midfield and defence during Middlesbrough’s ultimately doomed campaign and impressed sufficiently to attract admiring glances from elsewhere.
Boro’s relegation is likely to signal the departure of the likes of Stewart Downing and David Wheater while Bates is another whose future on Teesside remains doubtful.
West Ham, Wigan, Everton and Sunderland have all been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old despite Southgate’s determination to keep him as part of Boro’s attempted promotion push.
“One of my priorities is trying to get Mathew to re-sign for the club,” Southgate said on the club’s official website. “In fact, if we can convince him to stay, I would see him as a key signing.
“He has got the right drive, mentality and attitude – the sort of qualities I want players to have.
“Plus, the football he played for us during the final weeks of the season was enough to make me feel he can have a real impact for us next season.
“He overcame some serious injuries and the time he has spent out of the game seems to have made him hungry to have made up for the lost time.
“I’ve been impressed with him and I’d like him to stay.
“I am quite hopeful. I’ve had some good discussions with Matthew and with his agent and I think he would like to stay if everything felt right.
“Of course he’s like to play Premier League football – and rightly so – but he’d also like to help us get back to The Premier League. I think ideally he’d like to stay but I’m not taking anything for granted at this stage.”