Ben Gibson is the definition of a Middlesbrough lad through and through.

Born in Teesside and signed to the club's academy system at the age of 12, there was only one club that the youngster dreamed of playing for as he came through the ranks.

Gibson's passion for the club was surely boosted by his relation to his uncle, Middlesbrough's chairman Steve Gibson who played a key role in fighting off competition for other clubs to secure the services of the talented defender.

After learning his trade on loan with Plymouth Argyle, York City and Tranmere Rovers, Gibson emerged as a first team player for Middlesbrough in the 2013-14 season under fellow Teessider Tony Mowbray, before establishing himself as a key player under Aitor Karanka.

The central defender was one of the first names on the teamsheet during Karanka's first full season at the Riverside Stadium as his partnership with Daniel Ayala played a key role in the club making their way to the play-off final where they were comfortably beaten by Norwich City.

But Gibson showed his fighting spirit by playing a central role in seeing the Teessiders go one step further in 2016 as they secured promotion.

The local lad was the figurehead of a Middlesbrough side who competed in the Premier League, but it was a dream that ended all-too soon for Gibson who saw his boyhood club make an immediate return to the Championship.

Several Premier League clubs were reported to be keen on giving Ben Gibson another shot in the Premier League, but the centre back decided to stay with Middlesbrough in an attempt to get them promoted back to the top flight.

However with Tony Pulis's falling short in the play-offs in 2018, Gibson made the difficult decision to leave the Teessiders in favour of a move to Burnley.

That switch was a joint-club record for the Clarets, but things have never really got going for Gibson at Turf Moor.

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A hernia injury stopped the defender from establishing himself with Burnley during his first six months with the club, and despite a couple of short-term injuries, Gibson has never really been able to convince Sean Dyche of his value.

In 18 months Gibson has made just six first team appearances, indicating that he may need to move on to reignite his career.

Gibson will be 27 in January, and reports have suggested that he could be on the move in the January transfer window with several clubs thought to be keen on a move.

Middlesbrough are one of the clubs interested in a potential loan switch for the defender, however it remains to be seen whether a move would be plausible given the Championship club's financial restraints and Gibson's Premier League-level wages.

One thing is for certain and that's that the Teessiders would love to see a local lad return, and Ben Gibson is a player who would be a particularly popular choice.