Middlesbrough have today announced that exciting young winger Marcus Tavernier has signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with the club.

Despite a poor season on the whole by Boro, Tavernier is one of few positives to emerge. After making his debut in the Carabao Cup, the 18-year old managed to make his way into the first-team.

And, he made a massive impact, scoring the winner in the Tees-Wear derby against Sunderland with a cool finish.

Speaking to the official site who confirmed the deal, Tavernier revealed how happy he was to have his future sorted.

"I'm absolutely delighted. It's been an unbelievable few months, but my main focus is to keep working hard.”

Whilst clearly realising he must continue to progress, he also thanked Garry Monk for giving him a chance in the senior setup.

“I'd like to thank the manager for giving me the opportunity and it's been a great experience, but I'm just focused on my football, whether that's playing with the Under-23s or being involved with the first team.”

In recent weeks he hasn’t been involved in the squad, but will remain in Monk’s thoughts ahead of a busy festive period.

The Verdict

This is fully deserved for the youngster who has performed well when he has been given the chance with the first-team.

Clearly, he has a lot to work on, but fans will be pleased with his attitude as he acknowledged that with his interview.

It will be hard to keep a place in the side for the rest of the season, but Tavernier has a lot of potential and everyone connected with the club will be happy it appears to be at Boro.

Thoughts, Boro fans? Let us know in the comments below.

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