MIDDLESBROUGH will step up their search for a new centre-half after Danny Batth’s loan spell on Teesside was formally cut short.

Batth has been recalled by Wolves, with the Premier League club having immediately agreed his permanent transfer to Championship side Stoke City.

A Middlesbrough statement said: “Batth was officially recalled on Tuesday morning after Boro received notice that Wolves had received an offer for the player.”

Stoke are understood to have agreed a fee of around £3.5m for the defender, with Middlesbrough having opted not to stand in their way by tabling a permanent offer of their own.

Batth made 13 senior appearances for Boro after joining on transfer-deadline day in August, and his departure leaves a considerable hole in Tony Pulis’ defensive set-up.

The Northern Echo:

Aden Flint and Daniel Ayala are established as Boro’s first-choice centre-halves, but both players have suffered injury problems this season that have forced them to spend time on the sidelines.

Dael Fry is a capable deputy, but the youngster has spent a large chunk of this season playing as a full-back rather than at centre-half. Nathan Wood has broken into the first-team squad this season, but Pulis clearly harbours doubts about the teenager's ability to cope at Championship level and has not given him a single minute of action in the league.

George Friend can play as one of three central defenders if Pulis opts to play with five at the back, but the Boro boss will be understandably keen to replace Batth with another body to increase his options for the second half of the season.

Another loan move is the likeliest option, with the transfer window due to close at 11pm on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough have also confirmed Harry Chapman's departure, with the youngster having joined Blackburn Rovers on a permanent deal.