MIDDLESBROUGH will fight to keep their best young talents at the Riverside Stadium this summer if promotion to the Premier League is not achieved.

Top clubs from home and abroad are regularly watching matches where Boro’s talented and most promising crop of youngsters are in action.

Middlesbrough are in a strong position in that they have handed deals to plenty of prospects, although that might not deter all the would-be suitors.

Marcus Tavernier, who is already heavily involved in Boro’s first team squad, Nathan Wood, Bilal Brahimi and Stephen Walker are among those being monitored.

But Middlesbrough will be doing what they can to keep their best academy graduates, who they believe in, and will point to a strong reputation for giving players a chance as reason to stay.

Tavernier is the eldest of that group. He is being used regularly by manager Tony Pulis even though he is struggling to hold down a starting spot.

But German club Bayer Leverkusen are one of those considering a move, having seen how successful England international Jadon Sancho has done since moving from Manchester City to Dortmund.

There is a growing trend overseas at the moment to look to the up-coming English talent being overlooked in the Premier League because of the influx of foreign players. Sunderland lost Josh Maja to Bordeaux in January.

But Tavernier, 22, is under contract at Middlesbrough until 2021 so Middlesbrough would not be in a mood to let him go, particularly on the cheap.

Other players younger than Tavernier are also the subject of prying eyes. Brahimi is the one whose immediate future is more unclear because he is out of contract in the summer.

It has been suggested this week that the 19-year-old winger is wanted by Newcastle and Liverpool and that he is no nearer to committing to a new deal on Teesside. Clubs in France are keen too.

The Teessiders have shown they want to remain a club keen to develop youth by handing a number of young players new deals, such as Stephen Walker.

Walker has attracted plenty of attention from the Premier League’s big guns after helping Boro’s Under-18s to the Premier League Cup final.

Manchester United were the team most keen, although other clubs such as Liverpool have watched him closely. He was happy to sign his contract at Middlesbrough earlier this year before heading to MK Dons on loan.

Teenage defender Wood, who became the club’s youngest ever first team Middlesbrough earlier this season, has caught the eye with his performances for the academy and on the international level where he has captained England’s Under-17s.

He is another who has been handed a new deal in the last year and is under contract until 2020, when there is also likely to be an extension option.

Middlesbrough have one of the strongest reputations for producing talents in the country, and have done for more than two decades, and under academy manager Craig Liddle they are confident of maintaining that.

Pulis has given Tavernier and Dael Fry plenty of opportunities and Lewis Wing, who was signed from non-league, is now an integral part of the starting line-up.

Middlesbrough want that production line to continue and even more so if promotion back to the Premier League is not secured this season.

The Teessiders remain fifth in the Championship and still have a game in hand on the majority of teams below them, but a three-match losing run has increased the chances of them falling out.