"If Latte Lath doesn't leave" - Middlesbrough warned over touted January striker transfer swoop | OneFootball

Thomas Waddingham is one of Australia's biggest goalscoring talents, but is he needed at Middlesbrough?

Middlesbrough are understood to be in conversation with A-League club Brisbane Roar regarding the transfer of teenage goalscoring sensation Thomas Waddingham.

The 19-year-old, who according to talkSPORT has also been linked with Sheffield Wednesday and Bayern Munich, has scored four goals in his opening nine matches in Australia's top-flight, despite his team sitting rock-bottom of the table.

His talent is abundantly clear, though patrons of the Riverside stadium may be apprehensive, as acquisitions from afar have not always proved lucrative for the Teesside club.

While Michael Carrick's club have had mixed results poaching from overseas, historically, the side have had a better relationship than most with Australian nationals.

If the deal transpires, he will become the 15th Aussie to represent Middlesbrough, joining the esteemed company of Mark Schwarzer and Mark Viduka.

The latter, perhaps the country's greatest-ever striker, is a man whom Waddingham has often been likened to, which will undoubtedly spark intrigue among the Boro faithful.

Middlesbrough warning issued over Thomas Waddingham swoop with Emmanuel Latte Lath factor noted

Football League World asked resident Boro Fan Pundit, Jasper Hudson, whether the prospect of Waddingham's arrival is an objectively exciting one, or whether history dictates that this avenue of transfer will always present a significant risk.

"Thomas Waddingham on paper looks a bit similar to the Sammy Silvera move, as he's a player with a lot of potential from the A-League," Jasper told FLW.

"Obviously, it's not quite worked out for Silvera. He's shown glimpses, but never been consistent enough. The loan hasn't worked out either - Portsmouth supporters really don't seem to like him.

"So it's a little bit of a difficult situation. We're going to lose a little bit of money on Silvera, but in the grand scheme of things it's one failed transfer versus the countless good ones we've had since Kieran Scott came in.

"So I wouldn't be opposed to taking the risk with Waddingham. However, if Latte Lath doesn't leave, I don't see the point. Tommy Conway is already looking to be Boro's 'development striker' for the next few years."

Thomas Waddingham would be a Middlesbrough signing for the future - not now

As Hudson states, history tells us that signing a promising player from the A-League far from guarantees results.

It is almost impossible to quantify the step-up in quality between the A-League and England's second-tier, though many players have tried, and failed, to take their ability 'down under' and replicate it on the other side of the planet.

For every Aaron Mooy, there are seemingly five to 10 players whose time on English soil is largely forgettable.

Examples from recent years include Sunderland's Nectarios Triantis, who has spent almost the entirety of his 18-month stint on-loan at Hibernian, Plymouth's Ben Waine, who received just 1- Championship starts before being loaned out to Mansfield, and of course, the aforementioned Silvera.

Despite this, Australia's top flight is becoming a more popular scouting market for Championship clubs year-on-year, suggesting that those in charge of recruitment have seemingly unanimously agreed that there is untapped value in the land of Aus, and nobody is shining more of late than Waddingham.

A raw talent with, for now, apparent top-flight potential, Waddingham could well be the long-sought natural successor to Mark Viduka for the Socceroos, and perhaps he will end up at Boro too, joining fellow Aussies Silvera and Riley McGree on Teesside.