Middlesbrough: Latte Lath must look at Chuba Akpom situation as a reminder - View | OneFootball

Emmanuel Latte Lath should ignore interest from elsewhere and stick around at Boro.

Middlesbrough got off to a solid start in the Championship on the opening day of the season.

Michael Carrick's Boro met with Swansea City at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday (August 10th), and came out the other end of the game in high spirits.

It was Emmanuel Latte Lath's goal in the 25th minute that made the difference as he converted from the spot to open his account for the season. There are high hopes for Latte Lath and Middlesbrough this season after an unstoppable end to the 2023/24 campaign where he scored eight goals in six games.

Boro's success this season will largely depend on Latte Lath's goalscoring form, so it is absolutely vital that they keep hold of him and fend off any interest before the August 30th deadline.

From the forward's point of view, it would absolutely benefit him to remain at the Riverside Stadium for at least one more season, as Carrick has put his full trust in him and has allowed him to thrive in attack.

That said, the interest coming his way will undoubtedly tempt him, so Boro have to do everything in their power to persuade him to stay. Latte Lath should look at the example of Chuba Akpom, who was a prolific goalscorer at the Riverside Stadium, but is now a bit part player at Ajax.

Interest in Emmanuel Latte Lath

After such a strong 2023/24 season, it was almost guaranteed that Latte Lath would attract interest from elsewhere this summer, and so far that has turned out to be true.

As reported by Italian outlet, Tutto Mercato, Lath is receiving interest from Wolves, AS Monaco, RB Salzburg and Stuttgart. All clubs would be a tempting move for the Championship striker, but he should ignore this interest and stick around at Middlesbrough for his benefit.

Despite these claims, Middlesbrough are not concerned and have made their stance clear. The Northern Echo reported that the club are not putting Latte Lath up for sale and that they would only consider selling if they receive an offer too good to turn down.

Middlesbrough clearly mean business and are adamant that the forward will not be departing any time soon. This is the correct stance for Boro and Latte Lath should have the same mindset.

Latte Lath should not follow in Chuba Akpom's steps

The 25-year-old has everything at Middlesbrough and has become one of the most valuable players in the squad. Michael Carrick clearly rates him highly, and if the end of last season is anything to go by, he is set for another campaign full of goals.

Chuba Akpom was in a similar position last summer. He had just scored an incredible 28 league goals in 35 starts, but when he attracted interest he decided to depart for Dutch side, Ajax.

While Akpom scored 11 goals for Ajax last season, he is far from a guaranteed starter. He made just eight league starts and often made cameos off the bench, so he was no longer the star man. At Middlesbrough, he was certainly the star man in the 2022/23 campaign, but left for a bigger opportunity and endured a tough campaign as Ajax finished fifth, despite their title hopes.

Latte Lath should look at this example and do the opposite. It is important that the striker remains at the Riverside Stadium for at least one more season, so that he can further prove himself at this level and help Boro achieve their goal of finishing inside the play-offs.

He is the main man in Boro's attack so he will be enjoying his football. He should ignore interest from elsewhere for the time being and continue banging in goals for his current club.