Aitor Karanka has admitted for the first time that Jonathan Woodgate has probably played his last game for Middlesbrough.

The veteran former England international has featured just once this season, in what is widely expected to be the Teesside-born defender's final campaign before hanging up his boots.

He has struggled to force his way into Karanka's plans this term due to a series of injuries, and the impressive form of regular centre-back pair Daniel Ayala and Ben Gibson.

Karanka is keen to strengthen his back four. Asked if he expects Woodgate, who turns 36 later this month, to add to his appearance in the Capital One Cup victory at Burton in August, Karanka said: "I don't think so.

"We've tried, I'd have expected him to play more by now but he is training one week and then out of the training sessions for one month, so I don't know.

"If one day he is fit and I think he can play then he will play, but I can't think about not bringing in another player because Woody's here."

Woodgate is currently in his second stint with his hometown club. He had been expected to announce his retirement in the wake of being an un-used substitute in last May's Wembley play-off final defeat to Norwich.

But he signed a 12-month extension in the summer in a bid to add to his tally of almost 400 appearances spanning 17 years for the Teessiders, Stoke, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Leeds.

That's in addition to eight England caps and combined career transfer fees totalling more than £37m.

Woodgate is expected to move into coaching at the end of the season, and Karanka added: "He and I knew at the beginning the situation, what would happen this season and what his role was going to be. For that reason it is not difficult to manage.

"He is an important player in the changing room, everybody respects him so it is not a problem. He's working on his coaching badges and he is helping the teams in the Academy.

"Whether he has a coaching role to play here in the future, I don't know. He is experienced, he knows the league, he knows the country, so why not?"

Meanwhile Karanka insisted Boro have no desire to sell Kike, after the Spanish striker was linked with a move to Wolves.

Boro's Championship rivals have money to spend after the £10m sale of forward Benik Afobe to Bournemouth.

Karanka admits every player has his price, but is not keen to lose 26-year-old Kike, who has scored 16 goals in 42 starts since joining from Real Murcia in 2014.

The boss added: "I want to keep him, because with him we've won the last three league games when David Nugent was out. He's a good kid, he's improving and he's good in the changing room, so for that reason I would like him here.

"In football can you say 'I'm not going to sell if we receive an amazing offer for Kike?'

"The only thing that I am sure of is I am not going to accept any offers myself for players. If we accept a really good offer and the player wants to leave, that's football."