Middlesbrough may have transfer regret looking at recent Wolves development: View | OneFootball

Jorgen Strand Larsen was the subject of a summer-long transfer saga for Boro in 2022, which ended in disappointment for the Teessiders.

Jorgen Strand Larsen has completed a Premier League move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but could've been playing Championship football with Middlesbrough two summers ago had Boro sealed a deal for the Norwegian international.

Every year, practically every club has a transfer saga that becomes the storyline of their window, and in the summer of 2022, it was the pursuit of Strand Larsen that gripped Teesside.

From a hashtag campaign that swept across Boro fans' social media, demanding his immediate release as a Groningen player in order to grant him a move to the North East, to Strand Larsen himself appearing on live television practically demanding his overlords to grant those wishes, it was a transfer saga straight out of Hollywood.

Fast-forward two summers later, and the big striker has secured a dream move to the Premier League with Wolves, in what is a sign of the calibre of player Boro missed out on.

Boro found Groningen to be tough negotiators

Under the stewardship of Chris Wilder, Middlesbrough were desperate to improve their striking options ahead of the 2022/23 season, after midfielder Matt Crooks topped Boro's scoring charts from the season prior with 10 goals.

On loan striker Andraz Sporar did not meet the requirements laid out in his contract in order to trigger a permanent deal with the club, and loanees Aaron Connoly and Folarin Balogun returned to their parent clubs.

That left Wilder thin on the ground up front, with youngster Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore being the most senior striking options available to him.

Therefore, Boro headed into that summer knowing that a new striker was right at the top of their shopping list, and it quickly emerged that Strand Larsen was their number one target.

Plying his trade for Dutch Eredivisie side Groningen, the Norwegian had just put a 17-goal season in the books, and by his own admission, was ready to take the next steps in his career.

Middlesbrough had tried and failed with two bids early in the window - reported to be as much as £10m - as they began to realise that the challenge would not be convincing the player to sign for them, it would be getting his club to do business with them.

In a remarkable turn of events, Strand Larsen made the first of what would be numerous pleas to the Groningen board in front of a camera, as he made absolutely clear that his desire was to seek a move away.

He was frustrated with the club placing what he believed was an unrealistic price tag for his services - believed to be around £12.5m - prompting Boro fans to urge their club to pay the extra couple million pounds to free the striker, who'd became almost a Rapunzel-like figure to Middlesbrough supporters.

Strand Larsen would be freed from his confines that summer, but to the disappointment of Boro fans, not to Middlesbrough. Instead, he sealed a move to La Liga side Celta Vigo on transfer deadline day.

Middlesbrough would instead sign loanee Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham, and make the permanent signings of Matthew Hoppe and Marcus Forss respectively that summer instead.

Muniz, despite his impressive second half of the season with the Cottagers last season, failed to make an impact on Teesside, whilst the same can be said for Hoppe, who has only made six appearances for the club and is expected to leave in the coming weeks.

Forss, on the other hand, has been an impactful signing for the club when fit, but has predominantly seen his action come as a right-winger rather than as a striker.

Boro do appear to have found their number nine of the future in Emmanuel Latte Lath, however, but knowing what we know now about how close Middlesbrough came to achieving Premier League promotion in 2022/23, the inclusion of Strand Larsen in that team could've made all the difference.

The days of paying big money are over for Middlesbrough, as it no longer aligns with their transfer philosophy under head of football Kieran Scott.

But you can't help wonder the position the club might have found themselves in had they decided to go all-in on Strand Larsen, as Boro fans will no doubt be taking a keen interest in his debut season in the top-flight.