WANDERERS will run the rule over Josh Cullen’s fitness tomorrow after the midfielder racked-up 10,000 air miles on international duty.

The on-loan West Ham star captained the Republic of Ireland Under-21s to victory in Azerbaijan in midweek and was unable to train until yesterday.

Cullen has shaken off a thigh injury sustained in the Whites’ defeat at Hull City last time out but Parkinson admits the extra travelling involved over the last few days may have been detrimental.

“We didn’t want him to go because he had a dead leg but the Irish insisted he went and he proved himself fit,” he told The Bolton News. “Obviously, as captain, they wanted him to play, which is absolutely fine.

“He came in and did a recovery session on Thursday but we’ll assess him again today (Friday) and tomorrow to see whether he can play against Middlesbrough.

“It is a long trip and we’ve got quite a few games coming up so we will have to be careful.”

Derik Osede could come into contention in midfield if Cullen is not considered ready but Josh Vela is still a “number of weeks” away from a return from his ankle injury, according to the Wanderers boss.

“Josh is making good progress,” he said. “If anyone can reduce the time scale of coming back from injury, it’s him, because he’ll be determined to get back in. He was a big part of what we did last year and I think he’s a player with a big future.”

Vela and Sammy Ameobi are doing a signing session at Bolton Central from 12.45pm before the game. Wanderers have also issued a special squad photo in the centre pages of their matchday programme, available for £3.