MICHAEL Carrick admits it's looking increasingly unlikely that Ben Doak will return for Middlesbrough before the end of the season - but the Boro boss is refusing to completely write it off.
Doak has missed the last 13 Championship games for Boro after suffering a thigh injury back in January that eventually required surgery.
The winger went under the knife in March and has since been back at his parent club Liverpool undergoing treatment.
Doak remains on Merseyside and is not yet back in training, with time quickly running out for Boro to get their star loanee back in action.
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Boro have just four Championship games remaining, two of which come this Easter weekend when they take on Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday.
There's still the possibility that Boro's season extends beyond 46 games if they finish in the top six, but by that stage Doak won't have played for more than three months.
Asked whether it's getting to the stage where Carrick and Boro have to write off the season for Doak, the head coach said: "It will get to that stage but we're not writing anything off yet as you probably understand.
"But at this stage of the season it's pretty late, so it's obviously not looking likely anytime soon."
Carrick confirmed "nothing has changed" in regards to Doak's current situation, with the winger still at Liverpool receiving treatment.
Doak starred for Boro in the first half of the season and has been sorely missed on Teesside.
Boro were delighted to keep Doak in January, when the Scotland international was wanted by Premier League clubs Ipswich and Crystal Palace, who both had permanent bids rejected.
But Doak hasn't played a minute for Boro since the January window closed, with the teenager suffering the injury in training prior to the home defeat to Sunderland in February.
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