Daniel Ayala is close to a first team return, revealed Aitor Karanka today.
Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest may come too soon for the Spanish defender, who suffered a thigh strain at Blackpool on February 10.
But Karanka said he will train with the senior squad in the next few days and, if things go well, will inevitably come into contention for the televised Championship clash with Ipswich on March 14.
“Firstly he has to train with the team,” said Karanka.
“I’m not sure if he will train tomorrow but hopefully the following week he will be ready to train.”
The Boro boss believes Ayala is now one of the best defenders in the Championship in terms of his aerial ability.
He also said that his shared Spanish heritage has helped him to improve the 24-year-old, who started his career as a trainee at Sevilla.
“He is Spanish so he can understand me,” joked Karanka, before adding: “Dani is a special player.
“You have to manage him differently to others sometimes, but when you know his personality and character it is easy.
“When the balls are in the air he is one of the best in the league.”
Karanka denied, however, that Boro are weaker defensively without Ayala, pointing to the effective partnership Ben Gibson and Kenneth Omeruo forged last season and the current pairing of Gibson and Tomas Kalas.
“Last season we were playing with Gibson and Ken and we had the same (defensive) record,” said Karanka.
“At the moment Tomas Kalas is playing well and I am confident with all of them.”
Boro have no new major injuries to contend with ahead of the Forest fixture.
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