Julio Arca admits losing Didier Digard for the rest of the season is a blow for Middlesbrough.

"It's a big loss," Arca told Boro's website. "Didier is an excellent player and we hope he will be fully fit in time for pre-season.

"But we do have cover in Matthew Bates, Josh Walker and Gary O'Neil, so there are possibilities there.

"Whoever comes in, I will do my very best to help them along, although they are all good players in their own right."