MICHAEL Carrick insists he's calm about Ben Doak's situation and says "nothing has changed" from Middlesbrough's perspective after Liverpool rejected bids from Crystal Palace and Ipswich for the winger this week.

Doak played and impressed for Boro in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Cardiff City, less than 24 hours after his future was plunged into doubt when the Premier League clubs made permanent moves for the teenager.

Liverpool turned down both offers but it remains to be seen at this stage whether Palace, Ipswich or any other interested clubs will return with improved offers. Palace bid £15m and Ipswich £16m, well below Liverpool's valuation, which is said to be £30m.

Doak has been Boro's best player in the first half of the season and one of the shining lights in the Championship since moving to the Riverside on a season-long loan move in the summer.

But Boro now face an anxious wait to see how the rest of the January plays out.

Despite the uncertainty over the winger's future, Carrick said: "Nothing's changed. Nothing's changed.

"Loans are loans, that's how it is. In terms of the situation, it's exactly where we are. He played today, looked dangerous and created a goal. It is what it is. Nothing has changed from our point of view. I'm pretty calm about it.

"He played today, he played well in spells and looked really dangerous. I have no worries about that."

RECOMMENDED READING:

• Only one Middlesbrough outfield player emerges with real credit in Cardiff draw

• Ben Doak reminder but Middlesbrough frustration as Carrick's wish isn't granted

Liverpool are delighted with how Doak's Boro loan spell is playing out, but the Championship club must now monitor from afar as clubs interested in the Scotland international weigh up their next move.

Carrick, whose striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, the scorer of Boro's goal against Cardiff, is also attracting interest, said: "January can throw up different things. Sometimes you can keep players and sometimes you can lose players or teams come in for your players, that's just how it is. Everyone is important but we knew the situation when we got into it.

"We have some good players here and teams are obviously looking at our players because they're talented. It's a real positive for the football club to have those type of players in our squad.

"A lot of things can happen. We have to be ready for what comes along. Sometimes it's planned, sometimes it's from somewhere else and we have to deal with it. There won't be any surprises because we're ready for surprises."