'Boro winger out for the remainder of the season'

Tony Pulis has confirmed that an impending operation on his hernia might rule out the 23-year-old midfielder for the rest of the season.

Middlesbrough winger Lewis Wing is set for an operation on his hernia which could rule him out for the remainder of this season.

Wing has been a key player for Boro since this season, though the winger has been playing with a hernia problem in the last few weeks.

He also featured as a second-half substitute during Boro’s defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday, though the winger won’t be traveling to face Swansea City.

"We're trying to get it done as quickly as we can. It's a hernia and it needs to be done. Wingy at Villa and in other games, has dropped off," said Pulis.

"Even Tuesday, I pulled him on Monday, he had flu on Sunday and hadn't been involved. On Monday I pulled him and said, 'Lewis, if we need you for half an hour, someone to smash one in'. He said, 'yeah, I'm fine'. He went out there and he was bloody awful."

"We had to pull him Wednesday and say Lewis listen, because I've asked you can't just say yes, you've got to talk to me on an even level. Then he said he'd felt he was struggling over the past couple of weeks."

Pulis is hopeful that after receiving treatment from the same surgeon that operated on goalkeeper Darren Randolph in the summer, Wing will make a quick recovery.

"We're not sure (how long), if we can get him in quick then who knows, we might be able to get him back for the back end of it. If we can get it done quick," said Pulis.

“But we want it done by a specific person, we don't want it done by anyone else. We want it done by the person who did Randolph's, they're good and they get them done quickly. It's done in a way that we believe is the best way for it to be done. He's had such a great season."

After suffering five defeats in as many games, Boro travel to Swansea on Saturday in an effort to get back to winning ways.

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“We will have a good morning, there are seven games to go, the doom and gloom that surrounds lots of people today, there are a lot of clubs below us who want to be in our position if we can go on a run, we have to be positive around the place" Pulis said.