Middlesbrough: Talks revealed over new contract for Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham target Rav van den Berg | OneFootball

Middlesbrough fans could be buoyed in what has been an underwhelming season - with reports suggesting that defender Rav van den Berg has opened talks over a new contract despite Premier League interest.

Boro signed the 19-year-old from Dutch outfit PEC Zwolle in the summer, and he's gone on to impress across all levels for the Teesside outfit, registering 34 appearances in all competitions, including 29 appearances in the Championship. It's been a huge rise to the top for the youngster having played second-tier Dutch football last season, and at 19 he's set for a huge future in the game.

Of course, repeated performances in the second tier throughout your teenage years always bring about interest and Van den Berg has had that aplenty in recent months after being a consistent member of Michael Carrick's side.

Rav van den Berg: Middlesbrough contract latest

A report by the Northern Echo suggests that AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and Juventus - pure European powerhouses who boast immense pulling power for young players - were all keen on Van den Berg in the summer, though it was Middlesbrough that won the race for his signature.

The brother of Liverpool defender Sepp, Rav chose a career in the North East due to liking ‘the look and feel’ of the Riverside, alongside the obvious premise of first team football.

And after impressing so much for a teenager throughout the season, his four-year contract could be extended with the Northern Echo suggesting that talks over a new and improved deal have already taken place.

Rav van den Berg: Transfer latest

Despite only joining in the summer, Middlesbrough will be keen to offer the youngster a new and improved deal to fend off interest from elsewhere. Of course, the European powerhouses have been involved previously, but his form has attracted watchful eyes from the Premier League.

Everton and West Ham have previously been credited with an interest in his services, alongside general interest from the likes of Brentford, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. It's yet to be seen how much Van den Berg would cost transfer-wise, though with plenty of years left on his contract, it's hard to envisage that he'd go for a pittance.

What Michael Carrick has said about Rav van den Berg

Speaking to the Northern Echo, Carrick was nothing short of complimentary to how well Van den Berg has developed.

He said: “I don’t think you can be anything but hugely impressed with Rav. His performances when you consider that he’s coming here from Holland at such a young age - new experiences, new club, new country, new way of living, new type of football.

"Then you consider he’s played right back for the first time in his life, he’s played left-back for the first time in his life, he’s played centre-back in a four and a three. He always handles himself so well and never really looks flustered. He looks composed. There is so much to be impressed by. His ability we kind of knew from our scouting and we believed we could help him get better. He’s developed an awful lot, but also he has that character and that desire to want to do well. He’s so keen to improve. He handles everything in a way that is credit to him.”

“I think I said it before, your eye tells you certain things. We were really excited when we first saw him. Woody [Jonathan Woodgate] watched him a lot and he knows a bit more about defending than me! We all liked what we saw and when the opportunity came we were desperate to bring him to the club.”