Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick says a deal to sign Blues defender George Edmundson on a permanent basis needs to be right for all parties.
As revealed by TWTD last night, Edmundson returned to Town yesterday, the Blues having activated the 24-hour recall in the season-long loan deal prior to a Monday deadline.
Town have turned down two offers for the 27-year-old, the second an initial £500,000 plus £350,000 if Boro are promoted this season and further top-ups.
The Blues’ options are limited by Edmundson not being able to play for a third team this season, having featured briefly for Town at Manchester City in August as well as the Teessiders.
If he doesn’t return to Boro, then he will spend the rest of the season at Town, probably surplus to requirements and not in the 25-man squad but with the Blues paying his wages.
He is out of contract at the end of the season when he will be available on a free with a number of other Championship clubs understood to have been impressed by his performances with Boro.
"We knew it was a possibility. We didn't know when it might come,” Carrick told Teesside Live regarding the recall.
"The ball was in their court in terms of that situation. What happens next, we'll have to wait and see.
"It's not long happened so we'll explore what happens next. It's something we'll look at for sure. George has done well but it needs to be right for all parties so we'll see how that goes.”
Carrick, a close friend of Town manager Kieran McKenna from their time working together at Manchester United and as players at Tottenham, says the recall didn’t come as too much of a shock.
"We were aware of it and we knew it was a possibility,” he added. "It’s the case with a lot of loans that there is a cut-off point before the deadline.
"We knew it was a possibility before tonight and we planned for the game with that in mind, so it didn’t affect preparation for the game too much.
"We knew it was a possibility, so he wasn’t going to start tonight’s game anyway, just in case. It is what it is. Sometimes you’re fully in control, sometimes you’re not and you’ve got to adapt.”