Steve Gibson believes Aitor Karanka is destined for the very top but hopes the Boro boss extends his stay and signs a new contract with the club.
The chairman appointed Karanka in November 2013 in the hope the former Real Madrid defender could turn Boro into promotion contenders, but he admits: "He's turned us around far quicker than I could have hoped."
Given the job he's done so far, it's no surprise to Gibson that Karanka has been linked with jobs elsewhere.
But the Boro supremo has no concerns about the manager's commitment to the cause.
"Of course there are going to be people knocking at my door," said Gibson.
"It's a sign of success that there will be a demand out there for him. I can't fear it, I have just got to get on with it.
"But the grass is not always greener. I have got to know the man. We have a very close relationship. He's comfortable here, his family have settled here and he enjoys it.
"I think there will be a time for him to move on to bigger things - and I think he could be very big indeed. But I know, and he knows, what we agreed.
"What the project is here; what the aims are here; what the targets are here. Aitor will fulfill his contract here and I hope at some stage he extends his stay with us."
Aitor Karanka and Steve Gibson
Aitor Karanka has repeatedly praised Steve Gibson since his appointment and thanked the chairman for his backing as he looked to build a squad capable of winning promotion.
Gibson wasn't short on options as he looked to replace Tony Mowbray in the hotseat but revealed he knew Karanka was the man for the job from the moment they first met.
"I had a full day with him and I was struck by his enthusiasm," he told the Football League Paper.
"He was fresh, different. I tried to explain the difference in culture between Middlesbrough and Madrid and he just said 'I'm from Basque country, my people are industrious, they work hard, they're working class and I'm no different'.
"He had this hunger, this steely determination. We didn't promise him things we didn't have. We told him it was going to be a hard slog; that we were looking for a sustainable and gradual progression. We didn't expect any magic wands.
"He was totally committed from the start. He said he would bring his family over straightaway. He said 'I'm not coming to Middlesbrough to use it as a stepping stone, I'm coming to turn the club around'.
"We told him the resources we would give him would be competitive in this league. He's achieved that with a very limited budget.
"He's been with us a year and a half and there's a totally different ethos running through the club.
"We have a great set of lads in the dressing room and they all want to be a part of what we are doing."
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