”Lack of ambition” - Middlesbrough: Ray Parlour’s Emmanuel Latte Lath message for Steve Gibson and Kieran Scott | OneFootball

The Ivorian continues to be linked with a move away from the Riverside Stadium

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Ray Parlour believes the club would be showing a "lack of ambition" if they were to sell Ivorian striker Emmanuel Latte Lath.

That comes amid reports that MLS side Atlanta United, who have been heavily linked with a move for the Boro forward in recent days, have made a club and divisional-record bid in an attempt to prize him away from the Riverside Stadium amid interest from the Reds' Championship rivals, Leeds United.

Latte Lath has become a fans favourite among supporters on Teesside ever since his move from Atalanta in August 2023 in a deal which had the potential to rise up to the figure of £5.6m, as he replaced the previous campaign's Golden Boot winner, in the form of Chuba Akpom.

The 26-year-old was the subject of strong interest from Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town last summer, before Middlesbrough rejected a £20m bid for his services.

However, despite such clamour for his signature remaining, Parlour believes that Michael Carrick must retain the two-time international for the remainder of the season to aid the club's promotion bid, as they currently sit fifth with 41 points.

Ray Parlour issues message to Middlesbrough hierarchy amid Emmanuel Latte Lath exit talk

Speaking exclusively to Football League World via NetBet Online Casino, the former England international, who made 60 appearances for Boro, sent a message to club chiefs Kieran Scott and Steve Gibson over the potential sale of the forward.

“You can’t sell a key player like him. It shows a real lack of ambition when you want to get promoted," he said.

“I understand the fee can help the financials and longer-term stability of the club, but top strikers at this level are difficult to find.

He concluded: “Unless Boro have a ready-made striker ready to replace Latte Lath, this could be a difficult one to take as a fan, and also I am not sure what role Michael Carrick will have in this as I am sure he wants to keep the player.”

Middlesbrough minds could be torn over Emmanuel Latte Lath predicament

As Parlour alluded to, the financial ramifications of a sale would be huge for the Reds, but unless a replacement of a similar ilk can be sourced imminently, many supporters and outsiders will be left scratching their heads.

Despite seeing the chance of a potential first spell in the top flight pass him by after a stellar first campaign in England which yielded 16 goals and one assist in just 30 Championship appearances, Latte Lath has continued to apply himself in the right manner and already has 10 goals to his name this campaign, although just one of those have come in his last four appearances.

A majority of that goal return - including a hat-trick in a 6-2 win over Oxford United - has also been instrumental in a strong run of just two defeats in 13 league games for Boro, as well as netting the joint second-highest goal return in the division with a collective tally of 43.

The former midfielder's verdict would certainly be a shared consensus by many if he was to join Leeds, despite the fact a £20m bid may be out of Daniel Farke's reach at this moment in time.

Given his impact on the second tier since moving from Italy, it is crucial for Carrick's sake that a replacement is in the wings and they are to hit the ground running if a sale is agreed, or the former Manchester United midfielder and the Boro hierarchy could face further criticism.