Yesterday's printed edition of the Daily Star reported that Ben Gibson is on the radar of Everton this summer.

The defender starred for Boro when they were in the Premier League in 2016/17 and was linked with a move away back then but decided to keep with the Teessiders.

After them failing to get promoted the season just gone, though, there's a good case to suggest that he might want to move on this summer and so we're taking a look at Gibson's stats from the last nine months or so:

There can be no doubting the defender's quality without even looking at the stats but the numbers do seem to underline things somewhat.

A fine passer of the ball, he's also strong in the challenge and portrays many of the attributes you'd want from a modern centre-half.

Indeed, at 25-years-old he's also got plenty of time left to improve as he approaches his prime years and with Everton's backline largely ageing, now might be the right time for him to come in.

Certainly, with Boro set for another year in the Championship, this summer might be the best time for potential suitors to strike.

Thoughts, Boro fans? Let us know below!