TOP Premier League clubs are keeping a close eye on Ben Gibson’s situation at Middlesbrough, where relegation concerns have increased.

Arsenal, Manchester City and West Ham United have all joined the queue after it became clear earlier in the campaign that Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton were keen.

While those six clubs are all known to have more than a passing interest in the Teesside-born centre-back, it is also no surprise to learn that Manchester United and Tottenham are monitoring his performances.

Gibson is rated extremely highly at the Riverside Stadium, where his uncle, and chairman, Steve Gibson, would be reluctant to let him go.

But the 24-year-old’s performances have made some of the biggest clubs around sit up and take notice and he has been Boro's most consistent player during a difficult campaign.

Boro’s hopes of retaining him would be made much harder if Aitor Karanka’s side dropped into the Championship.

Gibson is valued in the £30m bracket because of his performances this season, with the benchmark set by Everton for selling John Stones to Manchester City for £47.5m last summer.

He is being tipped for an England call-up for the forthcoming internationals with Germany on Wednesday, March 22 and Lithuania at Wembley on Sunday, March 26, in a qualifier.

Gareth Southgate, the England manager, regards Gibson as a player with enormous potential and admires the leadership qualities he possesses.

As a locally produced player he would be in no desperate rush to leave his hometown club having only signed a new five-year deal last year, but falling back down to the Championship would heighten the chances of leaving.

During the last few years he has established himself as one of the most promising English centre-backs in the country. Firstly he helped Middlesbrough to promotion from the Championship and this season he has impressed regularly in the Premier League.

His performances have gained admiration from Arsene Wenger, Slaven Bilic, Antonio Conte, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. The latter is targeting English talent and it has been suggested pairing Stones with Gibson – a potential long term England partnership – is under consideration.

The focus until the summer at Boro is on keeping the club up, and Gibson’s ability and form will be a factor in that. After the defeat at Stoke City on Saturday he spoke passionately on what is needed.

The pressure has been mounting on Karanka’s shoulders after failing to guide his team to a league victory during 2017. More and more fans have started to turn on him and he needs to find a way to spark a revival from somewhere.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his position, the Spaniard has maintained that he would not walk away and he will stay as head coach until Steve Gibson tells him it is time to leave.

Karanka was at Rockliffe Park yesterday to take charge of training. He is gearing the squad up for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final with Manchester City at the Riverside.

After a difficult few days, he is in need of a lift and will hope a surprise result against Guardiola’s side can provide that ahead of the final 11 Premier League fixtures.

Middlesbrough are three points adrift of safety and the situation could have worsened before they return to league action against Manchester United eight days later.