ADAMA TRAORE has been told to keep on moving in the right direction by fulfilling his attacking potential at Middlesbrough rather than think about leaving in the next few days.

Traore is enjoying his best run of form since heading to English football from Barcelona in the summer of 2015 after being given greater freedom to express himself by Tony Pulis.

His performances have caught the eye of Premier League clubs again, in a similar way to how the likes of Chelsea hovered over him at this time last year. West Ham United and the Blues are known to be two of the top-flight clubs keeping an eye on him.

Pulis would not be interested in selling Traore before Wednesday’s transfer deadline and the manner of his recent performances will have seen his valuation rocket again.

The 22-year-old, it was his birthday last week, is now starting to add more to his game than his incredible pace and power. He went close with a couple of fine efforts against Brighton on Saturday, just seven days after scoring his first goal in a Middlesbrough shirt at Queens Park Rangers.

His Middlesbrough team-mates fully appreciate the potential Traore has but Ben Gibson has warned him not to get carried away and to focus on delivering for Pulis.

Gibson said: “Let’s not get carried away. Adama has scored one goal for us. When he has 30 people can talk about him moving. He has to keep his feet on the ground.

“He can be whatever he wants to be. I have never seen pace and natural ability like it.

“His bread and butter, the work rate, consistency, graft, aggression, chasing lost causes, that has to be what he does every week. If he hits that every week the rest will come. We have a good group here and the lads love being part of it, so does he.”

Traore was signed by Aitor Karanka in the summer of 2016 and has been in and out of the Middlesbrough team since. His appearance against Brighton on Saturday was his 31st start during that time, with his lack of end product highlighted by scoring just that once.

Last season’s relegation from the Premier League took its toll on the squad, with splits in the dressing room and Traore could easily have been distracted by that and demanded to leave when a number of his compatriots left.

Instead, though, he regained focus and if he keeps progressing under Pulis like he has then 2018 could be a significant period of his career for Traore.

Gibson said: “He is a good guy; he’s playing really well and relishing playing with this manager. He is talking to him, encouraging him and is patient with him. But he demands off him.  “Credit to Adama he has responded well to the new manager and long may that continue.  "But it’s not just about him. As a team, as a unit, we have looked a lot better, with a solid foundation to build off.”

While Middlesbrough will be doing everything to have Traore on board for the promotion charge, Pulis is looking to bring in a couple of loan signings before Wednesday’s deadline.

There are no deals imminent at this stage and the word from the Middlesbrough camp is that it could be a busy final day of the window.

Middlesbrough have been linked with a £6m move for New York City defender Jack Harrison, along with Newcastle, but Pulis is adamant he will not be spending any money this month.

He is looking for another defender, though, because Daniel Ayala suffered a groin problem against Brighton and is being assessed. He is likely to miss tomorrow’s game with Sheffield Wednesday.

Pulis is still looking to move players on too, with Ashley Fletcher and Martin Braithwaite two of the likeliest contenders. Both started against Brighton but were replaced before the hour after failing to impress.  Barnsley, Leeds and Sunderland are keen on Fletcher, while Bordeaux would love to take Braithwaite back to France but the £10m fee could pose a problem. 

Sunderland are also keen on goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos, even if Middlesbrough would be reluctant to let him go because of a lack of cover.

Adam Clayton will not be sold this month, while it wouldn't be a surprise to see Lewis Baker return to Chelsea. 

Middlesbrough will head into tomorrow night’s visit of Sheffield Wednesday knowing they can climb into the play-off zone by winning. To do that Pulis will have to oversee his first home win since taking over after losing his first three 1-0.

Gibson is not too concerned about those results because he feels Middlesbrough have made significant progress under Pulis already – particularly as a defence after leaking goals too frequently in the first half of the campaign.

The homegrown defender said: “100 per cent we have tightened up. We can take plenty from losing to Brighton. We look a better outfit with every game that passes.  “Every session the manager has with us we get to know his ideas, we are improving, and if we play like this we won’t be far off.”

Middleesbrough had their chances to go ahead against the Seagulls and looked the better team until the closing stages when Chris Hughton’s side stepped up a gear.  And in the end Glenn Murray celebrated scoring the 90th-minute winner after George Friend’s volleyed clearance crashed off the striker and flew straight beyond goalkeeper Darren Randolph. Despite encouraging signs, Middlesbrough were out of the FA Cup.

Gibson said:  “It was a tight game and we were left rueing missed changes. The first half we had opportunities to create chances, and it was the final ball, and not crossing it, and that made our fortune. We defended well.

“We make our own luck. If we keep working this way, particularly from the last few weeks, we have been brilliant, we will make our own luck.  “We have to keep working hard, playing like that and the balls will fall to us. We can’t get too down hearted, because we have a big game Tuesday and the league is our bread and butter. We wanted a cup run, it hasn’t happened and we have to get back on the pitch and ready for Tuesday.”

And Gibson, who is returning to somewhere near his own best form, thinks that Middlesbrough should not dwell on conceding late again because of the manner of Brighton’s winner.

He said: “Without a doubt it was a fluke. I’d rather that go in than someone cut us open. When we pick the bones out of that we are cursing bad fortune. Maybe we could cut out the cross, but it wasn’t to be.”