Middlesbrough may face a battle to keep hold of some of their key players in the summer.
With several individuals impressing for Michael Carrick‘s side this season, they could attract interest from elsewhere.
One player who already looks set to find himself in that position, is Rav van den Berg. The defender only joined the club last summer, from Dutch side PEC Zwolle.
However, his performances for Middlesbrough mean he is already starting to attract attention from elsewhere.
Recent reports have revealed that a number of clubs, including Everton, are keen to sign the 19-year-old.
Now though, it appears ‘Boro may have be given some hope over their prospects of retaining the teenager.
Rav van den Berg ambitions assessed
The level of interested in van den Berg from top-flight clubs may be a concern for Middlesbrough.
However, the defender did turn down interest from the likes of AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund in the summer, before moving to The Riverside Stadium.
Journalist Phil Spencer believes that suggests van den Berg will prioritise game time, over the size of the club he is playing for.
That in turn, could give Middlesbrough hope of retaining the teenager for next season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel about potential summer interest in van den Berg, the reporter said:
“He is a player who is going to attract high level interest. That could well come this summer. It will depend on what opportunities arise for him. But I do get the impression that he’s not going to jump for jumping’s sake.
“He’s not a player – and he proved it in the summer with the AC Milan and Dortmund interest – he’s not just going to move to a big club for the sake of it, he’s going to be wanting play regular first-team football.
“If one of those big clubs do come in for him, I’m not convinced that he will be completely convinced by it. Or he will need convincing to make that move because he will need assurances over the level of involvement in the first-team.”
Middlesbrough themselves currently sit 10th in the Championship table, seven points adrift of the play-off places.
Middlesbrough can take hope from this
Those around the Riverside Stadium will no doubt hope that this will be the case when it comes to van den Berg.
After this season, the defender can have no doubt he will continue to play regular first-team football if he stays at Middlesbrough for next season.
Given the club do have ambitions of promotion back to the Premier League, he may also be tempted to stay to see it through.
It would be a major boost for Carrick and his team if he did decide to take that stance. Van den Berg has been outstanding in a variety of defensive roles this season.
As a result, keeping him at the club could be vital to their hopes of a promotion push. Indeed, the fact he wore the captain’s armband for Middlesbrough at just 19 years old recently, shows how key he is to this team.
With that in mind, those around the club will be desperate to see him repeat what he did last summer, and prioritise game time over a move to a club competing at the very top level.