Middlesbrough boss unsure on defender’s immediate future

In an interview with The Hartlepool Mail, Middlesbrough refused to be drawn on the immediate future of teenager Nathan Wood.

Wood deputised for a number of games in the Middlesbrough first-team following injuries to the likes of Dael Fry and Grant Hall earlier in the campaign. But the 18-year-old did look shaky in his four league appearances.

The opportunity to play at Championship level may have come slightly too early for the youngster and Wood was loaned out to League One side Crewe Alexandra on Deadline Day on February 1st.

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He played 12 times for the third tier side as they looked to achieve a place the division’s top six. However, they missed out by eight points, eventually ending the season in 12th position.

Wood will return to parent club Middlesbrough this month and will learn his fate ahead of the up and coming transfer window. However, when asked if the teenager would be loaned out again, Boro boss Neil Warnock didn’t give a definitive answer, suggesting the decision will be made in due course.

“That I don’t know,” he said.

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“Nathan has had a bit of an injury, he played well in a couple of games and didn’t do so well in a couple of games.

“It’s what you expect for an 18-year-old, you are going to get ups and downs so I don’t know the answer to that.”

It is likely that the centre-back will be given an opportunity in pre-season. Plenty of players who are on the peripheries of the first-team fold will feature and will help to give Warnock an easier decision to make on whether they stay or depart on loan.

Similarly, midfielder Lewis Wing has returned from his temporary spell at Rotherham United, but the club will not look to sell or loan out the 25-year-old before pre-season.

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