‘Ben Doak returns to Liverpool, Middlesbrough season may be over admits Carrick’
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has suggested that Liverpool winger Ben Doak’s loan spell with the Championship club may have been brought to a premature end.
The Scotland international made the move to the Riverside Stadium on a season-long loan deal back in the summer transfer window.
Since then he has impressed for the club, with Doak even being linked with the likes of his former club Celtic in the January transfer window.
Meanwhile, there have also been claims that Doak has no future at Liverpool beyond the end of this season amid interest from Crystal Palace.
For now though, the winger is back with his parent club, with his prospects for the rest of the current campaign looking far from certain.
Michael Carrick provides uncertain Ben Doak injury outlook
Doak has not played for Middlesbrough since a 2-1 defeat away at Preston North End back in late January due to a thigh problem.
Now, that has forced the winger into surgery and a return to Liverpool as he looks to rehabilitate after that injury and his long absence from first-team action.
All of that means Carrick is now unsure if he will be able to call upon the services of the Scotland international again this season.
| Ben Doak for Middlesbrough in 2024/25 | Total (as per Transfermarkt) |
| Appearances | 24 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 7 |
| Yellow Cards | 7 |
| Red Cards | 0 |
| Minutes Played | 1,789 |
Providing an update on the Liverpool loanee, the former Man United midfielder was quoted by talkSPORT as saying: “Ben’s back at Liverpool doing a bit of rehab which is can be quite normal so he’s back with Liverpool and we’ll see how that goes and how long he’ll be out for.
“For now we’ll have to wait and see. It was quite recent, he was doing his rehab and then it came about (that he needed surgery) so it’s unfortunate for all of us but it’s part of the game and he’ll be back stronger and soon enough.”
After he was then asked if Doak will play for his club again this season, the Middlesbrough manager admitted: “It’s hard to say either way, to be honest.”
Currently, ‘Boro sit ninth in the Championship table, two points adrift of the play-off places with 11 games of the regular season still to be played.
Carrick’s side are next in action when they travel to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon (8 March).
Liverpool loanee dealt a major blow with injury update
Football Insider Verdict
This loan move to Middlesbrough felt like a big one for Doak, as it gave him the opportunity to play regular first-team football for the first time in his career.
The Liverpool winger will therefore no doubt be gutted he is set to be out for some time yet, denying him the chance to continue to build on that experience.
Indeed, he would surely of been desperate to help ‘Boro’s push for the play-offs to see through what he has started, and potentially convince Liverpool or other clubs to give him a chance next season.
Doak may now be set to miss out on that in what will be both a setback for him, and a concern for Middlesbrough given the recent dip in form they endured around the start of his absence.
Of course, this will add to the frustration around the loan contingent at Anfield, with Liverpool striker Jayden Danns yet to get a chance at Sunderland due to an injury of his own.