STEVE COOPER remains hopeful Djed Spence will remain a Nottingham Forest player for the second half of the season – but accepts he is powerless to prevent Middlesbrough recalling the full-back next week.

Spence joined Forest on a season-long loan in August, but the terms of the deal feature a recall clause that enables Boro officials to prematurely end the arrangement when the transfer window opens at the start of January.

Chris Wilder has been keeping his cards close to his chest in the last few weeks, but given the Boro boss has adopted a formation with wing-backs that would appear to play to Spence’s strengths, there is a growing feeling that the 21-year-old will be returning to the Riverside for the second half of the campaign.

That would be a bitter disappointment to Cooper, whose Forest side clearly missed Spence’s marauding runs down the right-hand side as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat on Teesside on Boxing Day.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Cooper, in the wake of his side’s Riverside reverse, for which Spence was ineligible. “He’s Middlesbrough’s player, just as we have players out on loan as well. We’re just getting ready for Huddersfield and Barnsley and then we’ll see.

“I won’t focus on what can and can’t happen. We like Djed, he’s done well, he seems happy, until that changes, we'll carry on working with him.

“He understands the situation and not everything is in his control, and we understand that as well. That’s what happens when you bring in loan players, but he’s happy for sure.”

Spence has already confirmed that his preference would be to remain with Forest until the summer, at which point his future could be reassessed.

The youngster’s relationship with Neil Warnock broke down prior to his departure from the North-East in the summer, and had the former Boro boss remained in place, there would have been no prospect of a January recall.

Wilder’s arrival has changed things, with the former Sheffield United manager seemingly happy to give Spence a fresh start.

The defender has been in impressive form for Forest this season, starting 17 Championship matches as his temporary employers have recovered from a shaky start to thrust themselves back into the promotion picture.

“He’s been good,” said Cooper. “I’m not sure if Djed had played (on Boxing Day) it would have been a different result because we’re not about one player. But he’s a young player who we like to work with and we have a good individual programme to try and help him improve.

“If he does, everyone benefits - Nottingham Forest, the player and Middlesbrough. That’s how it is with loan players. He’s really been committed with what we’re trying to do. We treat loan players like our own anyway until they leave, we’ve been happy with Djed. Everyone knows that.”

If Spence was to return to Boro next month, he would find himself battling with Isaiah Jones for a starting spot at right wing-back, a fight he would not be guaranteed to win.

Jones has been a revelation since breaking into the first-team squad in pre-season, with his performances on the right of the back five having been a key factor in Boro’s improvement under Wilder.

By moving Jones to wing-back, Wilder has been able to play Onel Hernandez further up the field, and having been recalled in place of Duncan Watmore on Boxing Day, the Cuban delivered an attacking display full of energy and purpose.

Hernandez tired after a bright start, and was eventually replaced midway through the second half, but his performance in the first half in particular suggested he is finally ready to deliver on the promise he displayed during his time with Norwich prior to moving to Middlesbrough.

“Onel has looked really sharp,” said Wilder, whose side head to Blackpool tomorrow for the final game of 2021. “It’s difficult for Onel because it’s maybe not a natural position for him and the system doesn’t unbelievably suit him.

“But his attitude has been absolutely first class. It’s the same with big Uche (Ikpeazu), in fact the attitude of all the players, has been different class.

“That’s really important to me. It’s something I don’t underestimate because there will be opportunities to come into the team, like there has been for Onel.

"It’s important we have that competition and that togetherness, not just for 11 men but for 22.”