KENNETH OMERUO has found the Championship to be the perfect stage to showcase he can become a big performer in the Premier League, according to the man standing side-by-side him on the pitch with Middlesbrough this season.

Omeruo has become a defensive lynchpin at the heart of the Boro defence since making the loan move from Chelsea and centre-back partner Daniel Ayala has been hugely impressed by the Nigerian’s performances.

Ayala tends to be the mouthpiece of the two, but Omeruo displays an intelligence in reading the game which belies his 20 years and Boro are benefiting from the mix so far.

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea boss, has already indicated to the youngster that he has a bright future at Stamford Bridge as he monitors his development by receiving regular reports from his good friend, and Middlesbrough manager, Aitor Karanka.

Ayala thinks there can only be positives to be taken after realising the extent of the potential and talent which Omeruo possesses.

“Kenneth has shown how good he is with us,” said Ayala. “We have a good understanding of each other when we have played together. We communicate and we have a good friendship as well, he is a very good defender.

“I do more of the talking, Kenneth isn’t like that, but that’s what can make a good pairing. When we play we show we have a good partnership.

“Let’s see what we can do for the rest of the season and hopefully we will help challenge for promotion. I’m sure Kenneth will be a Premier League defender and this will help.”

The difference this year at Boro is that Karanka is happy to tinker with his starting line-up, believing he has the alternative options. If Omeruo or Ayala drops out of the team, the manager has Ben Gibson waiting in the wings. Jonathan Woodgate and Rhys Williams are both currently injured.

Ayala said: “You know in this team there are a lot of players, especially in defence, we have four good centre-backs - and Rhys Williams will be back soon, in a month and a half, so he will come back in and be a really good player also.

“That’s why we are playing well because we know when we don’t play well we know we will lose the place. The whole team is doing well. There will be some games when we don’t play well. The good thing is that if you don’t play well then you know you could be out of the team.”

After the frustration of seeing the man who signed him, Tony Mowbray, lose his job almost a year ago, Ayala has responded by proving he can be a success at the Riverside Stadium.

The 23-year-old has had a few difficult years after leaving Liverpool for Norwich in the summer of 2011, but feels like he is making up for lost time on Teesside.

“It feels great at the moment,” said Ayala. “I have always been confident in my ability but when you have a lot of injuries, like I have in the last two or three years, it is difficult to get in to the rhythm. I tried in the summer to get really fit and I think I can feel the difference, people can see me for the defender I know I can be.”

Having gone six matches unbeaten building up to the international break, Boro have climbed into the top six.

Ayala hopes the current two week break until Saturday’s trip to Brighton will have helped and hopes the momentum will still be there after defeating Fulham nine days ago.

“Fulham came with confidence and have really good players, they have Premier League quality,” he said. “We showed our character and it was a great win for us.

“But when you play Saturday-Tuesday almost every week it’s hard. We have a big squad and our recent run has proven that. It’s nice to have a good break and hopefully we can renew our strength and push again afterwards.”