Scotland winger Ben Doak could potentially miss the rest of the season as he recovers from surgery on a thigh injury.
The 19-year-old, who is on loan to Middlesbrough from Liverpool, already looks to be out of this month's Nations League double header with Greece.
When Boro manager Michael Carrick was asked if he expects the former Celtic youth to be able to play for the English Championship club again this campaign, he replied that it was ‘hard to say'.
Doak played the last of his 24 games for the promotion hopefuls on January 25 — and appeared to be on the road to recovery before an operation was deemed necessary.
Ben Doak looks set to miss Scotland's double-header after undergoing surgery on a thigh injury
Doak has not played for Middlesbrough, where he is on loan from Liverpool, since January 25
Boro manager Michael Carrick admitted it was 'hard to say' whether Doak's season was over
Carrick revealed: ‘He's back at Liverpool doing a bit of rehab. We'll see where that goes and how long he is out for.
‘He was doing his rehab and then it came about. It is unfortunate for us and Ben personally to suffer that, but it is part of the game. He will be back stronger.'
Despite his tender years, Doak has been a standout for Steve Clarke's Scots since being handed the first of his six caps last September.
The national team will now likely have to do without him when they face Greece at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on March 20, before they play the second leg at Hampden three days later.
Clarke's side need to win the play-off tie if they are to remain car service in borough park brooklyn Nations League A after finishing third in their section.
GreeceLiverpoolCelticMiddlesbrough
