Sunderland manager Steve Bruce's appearance at the Riverside Stadium for last Saturday's victory over Watford has led to fresh speculation about the young defender's future.
Bruce's chief scout Ricky Sbragia has been a regular on Teesside in recent weeks, while Newcastle United's reserve team coach Peter Beardsley has also been to the Riverside on numerous occasions in recent months.
There has also been representation from most other top-flight clubs, with Liverpool the biggest said to be keeping tabs on him, but Middlesbrough are in no mood to sell.
Bennett, away on international duty with England's Under-21s, recently signed a four-and-a-half-year contract after impressing since Tony Mowbray opted to bring him back in to the first team following the departure of Gordon Strachan.
And Mowbray and his assistant, Mark Venus, have been encouraged by the progress made by the 20- year-old in a short space of time and think he has the potential to reach the top.
He is playing well, he is doing many different things, he is attacking and defending,
said Venus. He has a little edge and he can play one on one, he can head it, he can create, shoot.
His all-round game and his talent is good. That's why bigger clubs are being talked about and courting him.
There isn't an overriding glut of left-backs in the country to challenge for that position.
He is one of the few players who actually looks like he could take a step higher.
When Mowbray and Venus were in charge at Hibernian, at times of tight financial constraints, they went about agreeing long term teals with their most promising prospects.
Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown were among those to have been handed four-year deals, bearing similarities to the way Bennett, Jason Steele, Richie Smallwood, Cameron Park and Seb Hines have all been given new terms.
But the Boro No 2 accepts Middlesbrough would be forced to listen to serious offers for any of their players - even if they would prefer to keep hold of them.
What we try to do is give them a contract, a long contract that is justified which they feel they deserve as well, said Venus. We have done that with Joe.
Every footballer has a price, a market. Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid; players leave clubs, that's what happens. If bigger teams want to sign your players, the bottom line is that it is the laws of the jungle.
That's what players play football for as well. It's just disappointing when you lose a player that is out of contract or the money is not fair.
We try to avoid that.
Bennett hopes to earn his second cap for the Under-21s in Denmark tomorrow night, while he could also figure in Monday's friendly with Iceland.
It is a far cry from when Strachan was in charge, when his former boss would have been happy to let him go.
Swedish goalkeeper Jonas Sandqvist, meanwhile, has turned his back on a second week's trial at Middlesbrough after agreeing to join Norwegian side Aalesund.
I would like to thank everyone at Middlesbrough,
said the 29-year-old. It remains an ambition of mine to one day play in England but now I turn my attentions to Norway.
Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo