A SURPRISED Aitor Karanka has aired his disbelief after learning Cristhian Stuani - who is not due to return to action until December - could risk a further injury blow by passing himself fit for Uruguay over the next week.

Stuani has joined up with La Celeste in Ecuador ahead of a World Cup 2018 qualifier and his international coach, Oscar Tabarez, is under the impression that he can play having expected him to face Hull at the weekend.

The Northern Echo: Fitness fight: Middlesbrough's Cristhian Stuani is with the Uruguay squad

Stuani has also arrived in South America hinting he is ready to turn out, with Uruguayan-based media suggesting he has said: “I want to do what is best for my club and of course for country.”

A source close to the Uruguayan national team has revealed to The Northern Echo that no firm decision has been made on the player’s fitness, although Middlesbrough have done everything they are entitled to do to prevent him from playing.

There is a belief in Uruguay that he could be left out against Ecuador on Thursday, but face Chile on Tuesday provided team doctor Alberto Pan is satisfied he is fit to figure.

Stuani has not play in the Championship since returning from the last international duty with tears to his hamstring and groin.

Middlesbrough claim the 29-year-old was not even expected to be fit to face Queens Park Rangers on November 20 and that the Capital One Cup tie with Everton on December 1 may have even be too soon.

But Stuani is keen to play for Uruguay to keep his place, having become a key part of a Uruguay crop boasting Luis Suarez - who is still suspended because of his bite on Giorgio Chiellini at the last World Cup - and Edison Cavani after scoring six goals.

But Karanka told the club’s website: “It’s difficult for me to understand because I think the national team is a result of the work you do for your club.

“So for this reason it’s difficult to understand how a player who has been injured for over a month is in the team.

“I didn’t want to take a risk with him. The players who are not training with me are not in my mind to take a position in the team so I don’t understand a team who selects a player that hasn’t been playing.

“But it’s not my concern. My concern is the players who are here, the players who were playing last month and those who are going to play in the next game.

“I can’t do anything as a coach and the club can’t do anything. So we’re lucky because the next international break is in March so we have three or four months. But again, I prefer to speak about the players who are here.”

Uruguay have known all about Stuani’s injury problems since the last international break so Middlesbrough did not expect him to be called up never mind play.

But FIFA rules mean state a player would face a ban for not turning up for his country after he has been called up, so he has joined up with the rest of Tabarez’s squad ahead of two important games.