Exclusive: What Sky Sports pundit has said on Ipswich Town signing Emmanuel Latte Lath | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie believes any Ipswich Town move for Emmanuel Latte Lath would be smart

Ipswich Town have been linked with a shock move for former Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath.

The interest was revealed earlier this week by The Northern Echo, as the Tractor Boys look to replace the departing Liam Delap.

It comes as an unexpected development, given Latte Lath only transferred from Boro to MLS side Atlanta United in February this year, for a reported fee of £22.5m.

We asked Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie for his thoughts on the potential move.

Ipswich urged to strike for Emmanuel Latte Lath

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “Obviously, Liam Delap leaving the football club, they need an instant replacement.

“I mean, Latte Lath, would be a really, really good one at that, I feel, from what I've seen of him at Boro.

“I thought he was excellent. He brought them something different. He's got pace and energy.

“So, yes, I do think that would be a really good addition to the squad, if that actually does happen.

“Obviously, he's only recently left Boro, so whether that materialises and continues on, I mean, I think he'd be a super signing, because he did prove that he was well worthy of scoring goals in the Championship.

“I know that Boro weren't keen to let him go, but I think it was all about the transfer fee. So, I think for Ipswich, it would be a fantastic signing, if that was to happen.”

Landing Latte Lath would be a statement signing by Ipswich

A relegation is never easy to cope with, and Ipswich will be no different.

They’re set to lose Liam Delap, most probably to Chelsea, who was their top scorer from their one-season stay in the Premier League with 12 goals, triple that of the next player on the list, Sammie Szmodics.

The £30m release clause in Delap’s contract meant the writing was on the wall as soon as the Tractor Boys’ relegation was confirmed.

All eyes then turn to how they respond, and if they do so by signing a Championship-proven striker like Latte Lath, the rest of the league will be on notice that Kieran McKenna’s men don’t intend to just sit back and cash their parachute payments.

Latte Lath, in his final full season for Boro in 2023/24, was one of the Championship’s top strikers, clocking 16 goals.

Questions remain whether the north-east club should have sold him, and any such regret will be intensified if they see him return to England to play for a division rival, a matter of months after he left.

If Ipswich managed to hold the majority of their squad together, and make a couple of quality additions like Latte Lath, you wouldn’t bet against them challenging for promotion again, especially with the likes of Leeds United and Burnley out of the way.

Given how Middlesbrough crashed out of the promotion race not long after Latte Lath left, it would be a painful move for those to watch at the Riverside Stadium.