Lewis O’Brien, a Nottingham Forest loanee, will need to have his long-term future decided shortly, according to Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick.
The midfielder has won Carrick over with his work ethic and attitude while on a season-long loan at Riverside Stadium. He will still have two years remaining on his Reds deal by the time his time with Boro finishes, although it is unclear if head coach Nuno Espirito Santo would use him in his plans.
After being out for four months, O’Brien is still working his way back to full fitness. In just his sixth game for Boro, he broke his ankle and required surgery.
Regaining the 25-year-old’s full strength is the top aim, according to Carrick. He acknowledges that plans for the summer transfer window will need to be made, though, and that includes deciding whether to look into the potential of moving O’Brien permanently.
“At this point, there haven’t been any talks, but naturally, we’re approaching the point where we begin to solidify plans for the upcoming season,” Carrick stated to TeessideLive. “We’ll observe.
O’Brien has played for his loan team in 12 games thus far. The two parties’ agreement would have let him to return to the City Ground sooner after he was injured. Carrick claims, though, that option was never even entertained for a player whose persona he has called “special” in the past.
