ADAMA TRAORE has been tipped to reach the very top – even if it means Aitor Karanka has to effectively hold his hand when he pulls on a Middlesbrough shirt in the Premier League.

Traore has infuriated his team-mates and head coach at times, given his tendency to switch off and not work in a defensive sense when he hasn’t got the ball.

That has often led to him being left out of the starting line-up, but given his tender age there is a belief the forward can really hit huge heights during his career.

Chelsea and Arsenal are two of the clubs already to have shown an interest and there is likely to be offers made for him in the summer; his valuation could be determined by how well he plays between now and then.

Karanka, who has known the 21-year-old since his younger days with Barcelona and the Spanish youth teams, has always been a huge admirer but admits he is having to hold his hand at times to get the best out of him.

“Yes he’s improved, especially when he's next to me on my wing,” said Karanka, with a slight smile. “He needs to learn, he needs to always be living the game. He's learning a lot, especially without the ball, but with the ball he's improving too.

“In the first game he took the ball and it was just for him, but now he's linking more with the players and is more involved in the games. He has to keep going as he can be a great player.”

When West Ham arrived at the Riverside Stadium a fortnight ago, Traore was Middlesbrough’s most dangerous player. Karanka feels the reason for that was that he was asked to operate on the flank immediately in front of the dug-out.

In the first half he was impressive down the right and then in the second he attacked down the left. Karanka said: “I hope one day he can play alone. At the moment he needs (guidance) but he needs less than he needed one month ago.

“He's learning, he's intelligent - sometimes he tries to fool me - but he's intelligent and he will be a really good player. Sometimes he transmits to me he doesn't understand where he needs to be on the pitch when we don't have the ball, but I know he knows.”

Traore is not the only Middlesbrough player Karanka is looking to get more out of in the months ahead. Patrick Bamford is likely to start on the bench today at Tottenham and it could be a while before he really finds top gear.

Bamford has struggled to play regularly football since leaving Middlesbrough 20 months ago in the Championship, so lacks match sharpness and fitness. His confidence in front of goal is also likely to have taken a knock.

Karanka said: “I think it will take time. He played against West Brom for the last 15 or 20 minutes and needs to learn the tempo of the game, he's been out of the game for 18 months.

“Accrington is not West Brom or Tottenham. Against Accrington he finished the game completely tired, so he needs time but more than that is his confidence. I need to be careful with him as I don't want to put pressure on him.

“Confidence is the kind of thing that, as a player, you feel on the pitch. Two years ago the three chances he had against Accrington he would have scored. Now on the training ground and the minutes he's getting on the pitch, it's step-by-step.

“He's more mature, he's learned and he's an intelligent person, more intelligent and more mature with better players around him. I brought him here (to get him back to his best).”

Karanka is in desperate need of his players delivering a performance to stun second placed Tottenham and return to the North-East with a first league win since before Christmas. Boro are only points above the relegation zone, with third from bottom Crystal Palace set to face basement boys Sunderland at Selhurst Park today.

The Middlesbrough boss said: “I’m not concerned by our run, our focus is just the following game. Maybe you can think we can lose against Spurs and Everton and win against Palace and Stoke but we could beat Tottenham.

“It's a big mistake to look at the table and look at more than one game. The first half against Spurs at home was one of the worst this season and the second we competed much better. We have to go there thinking we can compete with them.

“Now we have more experience. That experience is important. We are improving and playing well. The players are doing their best but it will be tough because they're one of the best teams in the league.

“They're title contenders especially after the result at Manchester City. It's true that Chelsea are favourites and they're not in Europe but Spurs are doing well.”