Middlesbrough have offered Ashely Fletcher a new contract in an attempt to keep him at the club for the long-term, a recent report from Teesside Live has confirmed. 

Fletcher has struggled for consistent game time in recent months, with the forward nursing injury problems that have kept him out of the team.

But he returned to action earlier this year, and is starting to make up for lost time with the Championship club, who are well in contention to challenge for a top-six finish in the second-tier this term.

Fletcher scored his fourth goal of the season at the weekend, as Middlesbrough ran out comfortable 2-0 winners against promotion-chasing Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

The 25-year-old is out-of-contract at the end of this year's campaign, and it appears as though the club are looking to have his future resolved at the earliest of opportunities.

Speaking in a recent press-conference (quotes sourced from Teesside Live), Boro boss Neil Warnock revealed that an offer was on the table for Fletcher, and is keen to see him extend his stay at the Riverside.

"We've offered him as good as he'll get wherever he goes. I don't think Fletch wants to leave. You get influenced by people behind, agents or whoever.

"I don't worry about that, if he goes I replace him. It has been (offer on the table), whether it still is I don't know.

"It's up to him, he's a good lad and he's worked so hard for four months. If he can finish top scorer I'll be more than delighted."

Fletcher and his Middlesbrough team-mates are set to return to action in midweek, when they take on an out-of-form Bristol City, in a game they'll be quietly confident of picking up three points from.

The Verdict: 

This will have been a no-brainer for Middlesbrough.

I've been really impressed with what I've seen from Fletcher in recent seasons, and it's good to see the club looking at having his future resolved sooner rather than later.

If he can continue to build on the impressive showing in their recent win over Reading, then he'll be key to their push for promotion into the Premier League.

I would imagine that there will be clubs keeping tabs on him heading into the summer, so Neil Warnock will be eager to get this agreement in place at the earliest of opportunities.