Bennett seals Boro deal

Bennett: New deal

Middlesbrough starlet Joe Bennett has agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract.

The 20-year-old is another graduate of Boro's famed academy and has become a regular under Tony Mowbray.

He has now followed the likes of Jason Steele, Cameron Park and Connor Ripley in pledging his future to the club.

"I can't speak highly enough of Joe. He is technically very gifted, he is mobile, fast and he can cross a good ball in from out wide," said a delighted Mowbray to Boro's official website.

"Although he is quite slight, he is tenacious and he doesn't hesitate to go in for a 50-50 ball.

"He has all the qualities to become a Premier League footballer. Hopefully, we can achieve that target together.

"Having said all that, he is still only a boy of 20 and he will make some bad decisions at times, but I am sure he will keep improving.

"What he's got to do now is get his head down, work hard and keeping doing what he's been doing."

As skysports.com revealed, Seb Hines is also expected to follow suit in the coming days.