MIDDLESBROUGH are weighing up the best next step for Josh Coburn after his spell at Bristol Rovers last season, with another loan move not out of the question for the young striker.

Coburn is currently nursing a minor injury that he suffered while out in Portugal with the squad and Boro will wait for the striker to get back to full fitness before deciding the best course of action for the 20-year-old, with Michael Carrick admitting it's a difficult decision to make.

At the forefront of Carrick's thinking is what will most benefit Coburn in the long-run, but the head coach also has to weigh up his striker options. After Cameron Archer's Aston Villa return, bringing in at least one striker this summer is a priority for Boro.

As things stand, Coburn, Matt Crooks, Marcus Forss and Matthew Hoppe are the strikers on the club's books, but Forss played most of his football on the flank last season and, after his loan spell at Hibs in the second half of last term, it's not yet clear whether Hoppe will be deemed ready to play a part for Boro. Summer signing Morgan Rodgers led the line for Boro in the first half at Rotherham in midweek but the 20-year-old is most at home playing as a winger.

Coburn spent last season in League One with Rovers where he impressed, particularly in the first half of the campaign, and at one stage boss Joey Barton tipped the frontman to play for England in the future.

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Boro have high hopes for the academy graduate and this week handed the Bedale-born striker a new four-year deal, with Coburn telling of his ambition to establish himself in the first team this season.

Carrick said the decision on what to do with Coburn this coming season isn't an easy one to make.

"That's always the balance of making that call," he said.

"We have to do right certainly for Josh at this stage of his career but of course we have to look after the first team as well.

"It's not a straight forward decision. We have to see how that develops, when he gets fit, see what his options are and what's best for all of us, but especially Josh."

After signing his new contract earlier this week, Coburn said:"Get in the starting XI, that's my main aim, to play week in, week out for Middlesbrough. That's what I want to do.

"Being on loan last season I've had that experience and coming back here I just want to push on and try and get myself in the starting XI."

The injury that has sidelined Coburn in the last fortnight or so isn't serious and he's expected to resume training in the next week.