4 strikers Middlesbrough have to consider moving for despite Latte-Lath presence | OneFootball

Boro are still reportedly in the market for another centre-forward this summer.

Middlesbrough are still searching for another centre-forward this summer despite Emmanuel Latte Lath's excellent debut season on Teesside.

That is according to The Northern Echo and largely due to the fact that Boro's Ivorian international missed 16 Championship games last season through injury.

Therefore, should the 25-year-old miss a similar amount of time in 2024/25, Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick appears to want a better backup striking option than what he currently has at his disposal.

Bringing in a new striker will also keep Latte Lath on his toes, as Boro won't want to grant any possible room for complacency to grow from their undisputed starting number nine.

Football League World takes a look at four strikers that Middlesbrough could pursue this summer.

1 Will Lankshear

A striker that Football League World exclusively revealed that Middlesbrough were interested in earlier this summer, Will Lankshear has been in outstanding form for Tottenham Hotspur's academy side.

The 19-year-old scored a remarkable 18 goals in 19 Premier League 2 (PL2) matches last season, before being crowned the PL2 Player of the Season for 2023/24.

Lankshear appears to be more than ready to take his talents to senior football, but Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou may feel he could do with a season out on loan before throwing him straight into the deep end of Premier League football.

Therefore, Middlesbrough could be the ideal destination for Lankshear to learn his trade in the senior game, in an attacking-minded side that will harbour aspirations of Premier League promotion.

2 Zan Celar

Another striker who has been linked with a move to the Championship this summer with Hull City, Slovenian international Zan Celar is an intriguing option that Boro could turn look at.

And no Boro fans, it's not just because it would in all likelihood signal the return of the 'he's Slovenian' chant, that would no doubt feature on a Riverside Stadium's greatest hits album.

Celar would bring with him a highly impressive goalscoring pedigree from his time in Switzerland, as the Lugano striker has comfortably hit double-figure returns in all competitions in each of his last three seasons.

With just 12 months remaining on his contract too, the imposing 25-year-old striker - who represented Slovenia at Euro 2024 - could well be available for a cut-price fee.

3 Kieffer Moore

A striker who has been linked with a move to Middlesbrough in the past, Bournemouth forward Kieffer Moore looks set to be available once again this summer.

The Welsh international enjoyed a highly successful loan spell with Ipswich Town during the second half of last season, scoring seven goals in 18 Championship appearances.

Moore, 31, proved once again that he can be a highly impactful forward in any second tier forward line, and could prove to be an excellent complement to the speed and sharpness of Latte Lath.

His towering presence in the box would offer Carrick a totally different weapon to go to war with next season, and would certainly be capable of picking up the goalscoring baton should Boro's Ivorian miss time again in 2024/25.

4 Tom Cannon

From one striker formerly linked with a move to Teesside to another, Leicester City striker Tom Cannon was lost in the embarrassment of attacking riches at the Foxes disposal last season.

The 21-year-old Irish international only made 13 Championship appearances for the eventual title winners in the previous campaign, scoring twice and adding one assist during the process.

But the former Everton forward proved that he can be a deadly marksman at second tier level during his time with Preston North End, in which he netted eight times in 20 league appearances during his loan spell at Deepdale in the 2022/23 season.

With the Foxes once again plying their trade in the Premier League next season, it looks likely that Cannon could be a player they would be happy to commission a move for, and Boro should be right at the front of the queue in that event.

Partnering Cannon with Latte Lath could be a strikeforce too potent for many Championship defences, and provide the cutting edge that could make all the difference at the end of the season.