Middlesbrough supporters dealt Latte Lath transfer concern they do not need: View | OneFootball

Middlesbrough will head into this summer full of optimism, given how the 2023/24 season ended.

There was an expectation on Michael Carrick’s side that they would once again compete for a top-six spot, at the very least, after reaching the play-offs last season.

However, Middlesbrough were unable to find consistent form throughout the season, until the latter end, when it was too late for them to finish in the play-off spots.

So, while there will be disappointment, there is still a lot to be positive about for the supporters, as Carrick will hope a strong summer can help them climb further up the table next season.

The Boro boss will hope he has Emmanuel Latte Lath to count on, as he was excellent in his first season at the club, but given how well he has done, speculation could soon arise about his future.

So, his agent's recent comments about his situation will not sit well with Middlesbrough fans, as they will want him to remain at the club next season and not depart.

Emmanuel Latte Lath’s agent drops a hint on Middlesbrough future

As mentioned, Middlesbrough signed Emmanuel Latte Lath last summer from Serie A side Atalanta.

In his first season in English football, the forward did ever so well, finding form, in particular in the second half of the season.

Boro brought in Latte Lath as a replacement for Chuba Akpom, whom they lost last summer to Ajax.

So, they will want him to be around the club for a while longer yet, but the player’s agent, Matthias Veneroso, has cast doubt over his future, suggesting he is expecting interest in his client this summer.

Veneroso told Sportitalia: “If I had to look at it from the point of view of maturation and what he has done this year, I can tell you that he’s ready.

"Then we’ll have to make the appropriate evaluations, bearing in mind that he has a contract with Middlesbrough, where he’s aiming to do a top-level championship and try to win the league. Having to look around is not our first objective, but we know that strikers are rare commodities, and anything can happen…

“I can’t tell you the value. The English market is different from all others. It’s certainly a high value, I imagine at least triple what was paid. The club will decide it in the face of any requests.

“We are certainly attentive to those steps that can represent growth for the player," said the agent, when asked about a potential return to Serie A.

“Without having the need and the desire to necessarily do something. He’s doing well at Middlesbrough, the club loves him and he has a contract.

“We have to understand what will happen, because, being a striker, we know that some offers will arrive, but they will have to be carefully evaluated.”

Middlesbrough supporters will be concerned about a possible Latte Lath transfer exit

Middlesbrough supporters would have been hoping this upcoming summer transfer window would have been about which players the club was going to sign.

However, it now seems it could be another summer of speculation surrounding one of their key players from the past season.

Carrick decided to take a gamble when he brought Latte Lath to the club in the summer, as the forward had only played in Italy and had a brief spell in Switzerland.

The 25-year-old made a rather slow start to his career with Middlesbrough, as he netted just twice in his first 12 league appearances for the club.

The forward then picked up an injury that saw him miss 10 Championship games, but once he returned to the starting XI in March, Latte Lath hit some serious form.

The Boro man scored 11 goals in the last 14 league games of the season, meaning he finished his first season in England with 16 goals and one assist in 30 league games.

Latte Lath significantly outperformed his xG for the season, with that standing at 11.62.

The forward finished the season averaging 0.5 goals per game, with one coming every 131 minutes of football.

If anything, the Middlesbrough striker could have had more goals, as he was averaging 2.4 shots per game, and he missed a staggering 16 big chances, as per Sofascore.com.

But overall, it was an excellent first season for Latte Lath, so it will come as a concern to Middlesbrough fans to hear his agent state that he expects interest this summer.

Boro lost one key striker last summer in Akpom, so they will hope history doesn’t repeat itself, as it will mean the club is once again looking for a new number nine. The striker has a contract until the summer of 2027, so he is still firmly a Middlesbrough player, and the supporters will hope it remains that way.

They don’t need another transfer saga, so these potential rumours need to be put to bed so Carrick and co. can concentrate on other aspects of the team.