MIDDLESBROUGH defender Nathan Wood is heading back to Rockliffe after the club decided to activate the recall clause in his loan deal from Hibernian.

The 19-year-old signed a season loan long deal with the Scottish Premier League side but has gone on to make just one appearance this season.

Wood will not be eligible to play for Boro until January when the recall loan can be officially activated but will train with the first team squad in the meantime as he gets to know his new manager Chris Wilder.

Wilder made comments about assessing the whole of the squad when he first arrived, including the players that are currently out on loan, and the 54-year-old has seen fit to bring Wood back into the fold for the forthcoming campaign.

The centre-half has featured 13 times in a Boro shirt in all competitions since coming through the academy.

It remains to be seen whether he will be loaned out again in January for regular game time or whether he will be used as part of his squad.

Boro have suffered an injury crisis at the back in recent weeks with Dael Fry, Grant Hall and Anfernee Dijksteel all spending time on the treatment table. The trio are not back to full fitness but Marc Bola has recently returned and started in Boro’s last two games.