Leicester City are targeting a summer move for Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson in a deal which could become a club-record signing.

Gibson is high on Leicester’s list of priorities for next season as they bid to finally end their lengthy search for a centre-half, with a move expected regardless of whether Middlesbrough avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Middlesbrough will demand around £30 million for the defender, who is the nephew of club chairman Steve Gibson, but he has been identified as a leading target for the summer by Leicester’s recruitment team.

The defending champions have been pursuing a new centre-half for the past 18 months and failed in a bid to sign Burnley’s Michael Keane last summer, with Everton now at the front of the queue to bag the England international.

Leicester also encountered problems in a deal for Anderlecht’s Kara Mbodji in January and eventually signed Udinese’s Molla Wague on deadline day. But Wague dislocated his shoulder on debut at Millwall, ruling him out for the season, to leave Leicester still short of defensive options.

Gibson, 24, has impressed for Boro this season and been watched by the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Stoke, earning a call-up to the senior England squad in April.