MIDDLESBROUGH will demand at least £3m for Fabio da Silva in the summer if interest in the Brazilian full-back resurfaces.

Boro have taken advantage of the option to extend his contract by handing him another 12 months when he was set to become a free agent.

Middlesbrough – who have confirmed the player’s claims on social media that his contract has been extended - have moved to tie him down to the longer terms when he has found himself back in the thick of the club’s push for promotion.

Tony Pulis has been impressed with the 27-year-old’s performances and attitude of late, highlighted by his appearances in the games with Sheffield United, Bristol City, Derby and Millwall.

Even though there was a period when he was injured before that run, contributing to his absence since Boxing Day, it was no secret that Fabio had been angling for a return to South America in January.

Botafogo were keen to sign the former Manchester United defender, although they could not come close to matching the £3m valuation.

That is the sort of price-tag he still holds and suggestions Botafogo will make a fresh attempt to secure him on a season-long loan this summer are likely to be given short shrift.

There is every chance that Fabio could still form a part of Pulis’ squad next season regardless of what division Middlesbrough are in.

The versatile full-back, who can play down both flanks, is likely to be involved against Aston Villa in the play-off semi-final first leg tomorrow.

The return leg at Villa Park is on Tuesday.

Immediately after confirmation arrived on Sunday that Middlesbrough will be up against Villa in the semi-final, Pulis was quick to label his side underdogs.

Pulis said: “The players deserve a lot of credit for the way they have performed over the last month or so. At times at Ipswich some of our football was very good but we have to remember Villa have a Premier League squad, it will be difficult, but who knows what will happen, it’s the play-offs.

“Villa have got the strongest squad in depth of any club in the Championship. We have got in to the play-offs when a lot of people didn’t think we would get in after the start we made.

“We will enjoy it. We will look forward to playing at home, the players and fans have been right on it of late. It’s now a case of turning up and doing our best on Saturday. Let’s really rank it up.”

Homegrown defender Ben Gibson just wants an indifferent season to end on a high after helping Middlesbrough to give themselves a chance of promotion again – knowing how they have spent the majority of the campaign outside the top six.

He said: "It's been a season of frustration really. We have been waiting for it to click, then we've got a run going, then it's stopped then we get another run going and it's stopped again.

“We have had tough times and good times, but the main thing is that we are still in there fighting. Everyone expected us to be fighting for the top two places at the start of the season … that has not happened.

“But we are dealing with the here and now and we still have an opportunity to get out of this league and it's via the play-offs and we are going to be doing our utmost to do it.”