CHERRIES are reportedly preparing a £10million bid for Middlesbrough midfielder Marcus Tavernier.

The 23-year-old former England under-20 international is a key player for the Teesside outfit and can play anywhere across the midfield.

Tavernier made 44 appearances in the Championship last campaign, scoring five goals and laying on a further five assists in the competition.

The Middlesbrough academy graduate already has 155 matches of experience to his name, and is attracting interest from clubs above him.

Football Insider report that newly-promoted Cherries want to improve their attacking-midfield ranks and are readying a move for the star.

Tavernier is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and this summer represents the last opportunity to secure a major fee for him if he does not extend his terms.

They add that, despite this, Boro are reluctant to lose the midfielder with right-back Djed Spence already expected to make a multi-million £ move to the Premier League this summer.

But Premier League ambitions are hard to deny, with the Riverside team missing out on the play-offs by five points.