Details of seven-figure fee revealed as Middlesbrough close in on Ivorian striker | OneFootball

Middlesbrough may be about to lose their talisman from the 2022-23 season in the form of Chuba Akpom, but signings are coming that are sure to appease a somewhat frustrated fanbase.

Most of Boro's summer dealings so far have been based on potential, with additions such as Alex Gilbert, Rav van den Berg, Sam Silvera and Morgan Rogers are by no means the finished articles just yet.

The work in progress stance was very evident on the opening weekend of the new season as the Teessiders were downed 1-0 on home soil by Millwall in a match where they lacked a bit of cutting edge in-front of goal.

With creative loanees Ryan Giles and Cameron Archer not able to be called upon anymore after their exploits last season and Akpom benched after spending pre-season on the sidelines, Michael Carrick's side could not find a way through, and if reports are to be believed he will be without Akpom too as a £11.2 million fee has been agreed with RC Lens to sell the attacker.

Boro have had irons in the fire though and as they close in on Silkeborg left-back Lukas Engel to replace Giles, they are also on the right track when it comes to landing an attacker too.

Reports from Italy earlier in the week suggested that they were closing in on a deal for Atalanta forward Emmanuel Latte Lath, and Football Insider confirmed yesterday that a fee had been agreed for the the 24-year-old Ivorian.

Latte Lath has been at Serie A outfit Atalanta since he was a teenager but has only played three times for them competitively, spending time out on loan at eight different clubs in his career so far.

The most recent loan stint is where Latte Lath has come to Boro's attention though as he netted 16 times in 34 appearances for Swiss outfit St. Gallen in the 2022-23 season.

How much are Middlesbrough set to pay for Emmanuel Latte Lath?

And Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has shed more light on the actual fee that Boro are splashing out on Latte Lath this summer as he looks set to lead the line at the Riverside Stadium.

Di Marzio claims that the initial fee that Boro are paying for the striker is €5 million (£4.3 million), with an extra €1.5 million (£1.3 million) in performance related add-ons that could be met in the future, so it could reach £5.6 million overall.

Atalanta will also hold a 10 per cent sell-on clause so they will have a vested interest in Latte Lath's future, and if he has the same success as Akpom in-front of goal then they could make a further profit.

What has Michael Carrick said on a deal for Emmanuel Latte Lath?

Unlike Engel, who he has confirmed that Boro are closing in on, Carrick was a bit more coy on the situation on Latte Lath when quizzed ahead of Boro's clash with Coventry City this weekend.

“We’re trying to strengthen the squad,” Carrick said on the subject of Latte Lath, per the Northern Echo.

“That’s the job at the moment, that’s the time of year that we’re in even though the season has started.

"We’re pushing for it, and as soon as something happens we’ll let you know. Until then, there’s nothing really to report."