MIDDLESBROUGH boss Jonathan Woodgate is convinced Aynsley Pears will commit to a new deal during an impressive rookie season with the first team.

Pears, from County Durham, turned in his best performance yet in an impressive display against Leeds United on Wednesday night when he made a string of great saves.

There is still an option of a further year on the terms the 21-year-old has that run out this summer at the Riverside Stadium, but Pears deserves rewarding for his excellent start to life on the Championship stage.

Negotiations have been ongoing and chief executive Neil Bausor is in discussions with his representatives aimed at getting things sorted out.

“I’m sure it will get done sooner rather than later, not 100 per cent but Neil knows more than me on that situation,” said Woodgate.

“I’ve been impressed with him, remember at the start of the season, he was going on loan at one point. He was doing that well in training, we decided he wasn’t going.”

Pears was initially given his chance during pre-season when Darren Randolph was given some extra time off. Randolph then had an injury-plagued first half of the season before he eventually moved back to West Ham in a £4m January deal.

Middlesbrough’s drop in form at the start of 2019 has meant Pears has not kept clean sheets. The nine-match winless run in the Championship dates back to January 1, when he shut-out Preston to secure the last win.

Before that Pears kept seven clean sheets during his time in the first team, either side of Randolph recovering from injury, and has successfully kept out Tomas Mejias.

Woodgate said: “I can’t remember too many where he’s had saves to make, he hasn’t really been tested but in the Leeds game he made some good saves.”

Pears is also being preferred despite the arrival of Dejan Stojanovic in the transfer window for £1m.

Woodgate said: “Dejan’s pushing Tommy and Aynsley and Tommy and Aynsley are doing just as well as him. It’s hard just because I paid £1m for some doesn’t mean I’m just going to put them in.

“He’s got to keep on wanting to work which he’s doing, he wants to play games and is showing a fantastic attitude.”