Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has admitted that he is "lucky" that defender Ben Gibson has not been targeted by Premier League clubs this summer.
The 22-year-old excelled at the heart of the Boro defence last season as he helped them post the best defensive record in the Championship, while he impressed with the England Under-21s in their European Championship campaign.
Karanka believes that Gibson is setting a fine example to the younger players at the club in his commitment to the North-East outfit.
He told Sports Mole: "I'm lucky, but I know him and the most important thing for him is that he is improving every day. He is a player that wants to be here because he grew up in the area.
"He's a good example for everybody, including the first-team squad and the academy players. I'm lucky because he is still with us."
When asked if could he place a value on Gibson, Karanka added: "I cannot put a value on him because then I may have people asking to buy him."
Gibson made his debut for Boro in 2010.
Simon Sinclair
