Middlesbrough will consider a January loan for Law McCabe if they feel the move would benefit the young midfield prospect.

McCabe is highly thought of at Boro and is believed to have a really bright future. At just 18, he’s already made three senior starts for the club - with the most recent coming on Saturday in the FA Cup defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

After the game, Boro boss Michael Carrick referenced McCabe as one of few positives from the game, with the young midfielder catching the eye in a bright display. It comes as McCabe regularly trains with the Boro first-team, though he’s struggled for much game-time this season.

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With Aidan Morris and Jonny Howson out injured of late, McCabe has been needed on Teesside, regularly making the bench as first backup to starting midfield pair Hayden Hackney and Dan Barlaser. But asked ahead of Saturday’s start, Carrick admitted a loan exit could be a consideration, with what’s best for McCabe referenced as the most important factor in any such decision.

“We’ll see [on a loan],” Carrick said. “It’s purely about what’s best for Law, really. We’ll make a call on that when we need to. I’m pretty calm about that. He’s doing well, improving and developing, and he’s in and around the group regularly. Sometimes training day in day out with us is a big experience and learning curve in itself.

“He’s gone through different periods, Law. He’s trained with us and been around us an awful lot, especially earlier in the season - he was with us pretty much every day. Then he went and played some games with the U21s because he needed that balance. So he played quite a bit in that period before coming back to join us again recently.”