KENNETH OMERUO looks set to miss out on a sizeable chunk of Middlesbrough’s Championship push, regardless of how serious the injury he picked up on international duty is.

Omeruo had to miss Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Congo on Saturday after sustaining a knock in training during the build up to the game.

Boro are being kept informed about the problem, although it is already looking unlikely that he will be risked against Wigan this Saturday when he has returned from international duty.

The greater concern for Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka is that the centre-back, on loan from Chelsea, could be on Africa Cup of Nations duty in January/February.

Nigeria were three points behind Congo going into the game and only victories in their final two qualifiers would secure an automatic finals spot.

In winning on Saturday, the Super Eagles will qualify for the Equatorial Guinea tournament if they can defeat South Africa on Wednesday. That could rule Omeruo out of Boro's thinking from mid-January to the final on February 8.

The Boro boss is already considering ways of adding to his squad during the January transfer window, and Espanyol’s midfielder Alex Fernandez is on the radar. Karanka knows the 22-year-old from his time at Real Madrid and working with Spain at youth level.