How much Middlesbrough FC will save on wages for Emmanuel Latte Lath as he heads for Riverside exit | OneFootball

We looked at how much Middlesbrough will save on wages if striker Emmanuel Latte Lath completes his move to Atlanta United.

It has been a busy January transfer window for Middlesbrough, and there could be further incomings and outgoings at the Riverside Stadium before Monday's 11pm deadline.

Middlesbrough currently sit just outside the Championship play-off places, but their form has faltered in recent weeks, with just four wins in their last 13 league games, and head coach Michael Carrick has turned to the transfer market as he looks to get his side's promotion push back on track.

Goalkeeper Mark Travers and defender Ryan Giles have both joined Boro on loan until the end of the season, while the club have also signed Plymouth Argyle forward Morgan Whittaker for an initial fee of £5 million, with a further £2.5 million in add-ons, and completed a permanent deal for Ipswich Town defender George Edmundson after a successful loan spell.

So far, Boro have managed to keep hold of all of their key players, but that could be set to change amid reports that star striker Emmanuel Latte Lath is closing in on a move to MLS side Atlanta United.

Emmanuel Latte Lath to Atlanta United latest

Latte Lath joined Middlesbrough from Atalanta last summer in a deal that could be worth up to £5.6 million, and after scoring 18 goals in 36 games during his first season at the club, Ipswich Town made a £20 million bid for him on the final day of the summer transfer window.

That offer was firmly rejected by the Teesside outfit, and Latte Lath has played a crucial role for Carrick's men this season, but his future has once again been the subject of speculation in recent weeks.

West Ham United, Leicester City and Leeds United were all linked with Latte Lath, but Atlanta United were the first club to make a move for the striker as they reportedly lodged an initial bid of £18 million earlier this month, plus a further £2 million in add-ons.

It has now been reported by Teesside Live that Boro have accepted an improved offer of £22.5 million from Atlanta United for Latte Lath, which would be an MLS record transfer fee, and he is expected to travel to the United States to complete the move.

The deal is yet to be finalised, and Latte Lath is not believed to have approved the switch yet, but with the Ivorian looking likely to depart the Riverside Stadium before Monday's deadline, we looked at how much Boro will save on his wages.

How much Middlesbrough will save on Emmanuel Latte Lath's wages

According to Capology, Latte Lath earns £10,000 per week and £520,000 per year at Middlesbrough, although it should be stressed that those figures are an estimate.

Despite his importance to the team, Latte Lath is far from Boro's highest paid player, with the likes of Luke Ayling (£30,000 per week), Jonny Howson (£25,000 per week) and Delano Burgzorg and Neto Borges (both £20,000 per week) all believed to take home significantly more than the striker.

However, Latte Lath's departure would free up space on the club's wage bill to allow them to bring in a replacement, and the recruitment team are said to have been spending the past few months preparing for this eventuality.

Slovan Bratislava striker David Strelec is one player reportedly on Boro's radar, while they have also been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Will Lankshear, but former stars Cameron Archer and Chuba Akpom, who currently play for Southampton and Ajax respectively, are not under consideration for a return to the club.

With just days remaining in the transfer window, Boro supporters will be anxiously waiting to see if Latte Lath does complete his expected move to Atlanta United, and even more importantly, who the club sign as a replacement.