MICHAEL Carrick isn't sure whether Darragh Lenihan and Tommy Smith will play this season, as the injury misery continues for the Middlesbrough pair.

Smith hasn't played for Boro since rupturing his Achilles injury in October, 2023, while Lenihan's last appearance came a month earlier.

The former Blackburn captain initially injured his ankle and was forced to undergo that ruled him out until the end of last season. He returned in the summer and played in the pre-season friendly at Gateshead, but then suffered an Achilles problem and has had to deal with further setbacks since.

Carrick admits neither are close to being ready to return and has cast doubt on whether they'll feature at all this season, saying: "We'll just have to wait and see."

He added: "They're still a little bit further. They've had a couple of little setbacks both of them in terms of their rehab. It's not anytime over the next month or so."

It's been an incredibly difficult period for both players, with Smith, who has been doing some media work recently, telling BBC Radio 5Live he was "desperate to get back on the grass".

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Carrick said: "For Tommy and Darragh it's been particularly difficult for them to be out for so long.

"We all hope everyone is fit and on the pitch and if players get injured it's just a small one. But some are bigger than others. We're obviously doing everything we can to support them."

The injury setbacks and uncertainty as to whether they'll play this season could give Middlesbrough a decision to make when it comes to registering their 25-man squad for the second half of the season. Both players were registered back in September but at that stage the expectation was they'd have returned to action by now.

Boro's squad was at its maximum capacity at the start of the month, but Isaiah Jones has since left. Emmanuel Latte Lath looks increasingly likely to leave as well but will be replaced. Even if Boro sign loanees this month, they have to be registered in the 25-man squad. Boro remain keen on strengthening in several areas before the end of the window.

Smith's contract is due to expire at the end of the season. Lenihan's deal is up 12 months later.

One player who wasn't registered in the squad this season because of injury is Alex Bangura, but the left-back is progressing well behind the scenes, says Carrick.

Bangura was ruled out for the full campaign with a serious Achilles injury which required surgery.

Carrick said: "Alex is really positive. It was always a long term one. He's taken his steps through his recovery and rehab and fingers crossed it's going well for him."