Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit issues fresh Middlesbrough, Latte Lath verdict amid £70k-a-week wages reveal | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Lee Hendrie discussed ex-Middlesbrough star Emmanuel Latte Lath's recent Atlanta United contract revelation.

A recent report has claimed that Atlanta United successfully prized Emmanuel Latte Lath away from Middlesbrough in the winter transfer window with a £70k-a-week contract.

Teesside Live have stated that Latte Lath's representative had been pushing for a move for his client for a considerable amount of time prior to his record-breaking £22.5m move to the MLS outfit in February.

It's believed that Middlesbrough wanted the 26-year-old centre-forward to remain on Teesside for the duration of the season, with the promise of a new contract if he helped fire Boro to the Premier League.

However, it's claimed that the Ivorian international's representatives made demands that Boro were unable to match, thus opening the door for Atlanta United to present a highly lucrative £70k-a-week offer to the striker.

With Michael Carrick and his staff not wanting to risk carrying an unhappy player into the business end of the season, it was decided that cashing in on their £4m acquisition from the 2023 summer window was the best course of action to take.

"No doubt" - Middlesbrough handed Emmanuel Latte Lath transfer verdict amid Atlanta wage revelation

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, we asked Sky Sports pundit and former player, Lee Hendrie: 'Atlanta United said to have given Latte Lath a £70k-a-week contract to lure him out of Middlesbrough according to local press. Does that add to the fact it was impossible for them to keep him in January?'

Hendrie said: "Atlanta United took Latte Lath, apparently for £70k-a-week, which lured him away from Boro.

"Is that why it was impossible to keep him? Yes it is, I really do. I think Latte Lath had a great spell whilst he was at Boro, and that's why he attracted football clubs that were certainly interested in taking him for lots of reasons.

"His pace, energy, goals, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have been on anywhere near that sort of money at Middlesbrough. When those sorts of fees are bandied around, and certainly put to a player, it's hard for him to turn that sort of money down.

"Playing in the Championship, you want to get into the top flight, you want to play Premier League, and I suppose that's going to be the closest he probably will get to that.

"So, there's no doubt that had a massive say in taking him away from Boro, and unfortunately, I feel that was a big, big thing for Boro to lose him at that stage of the season. Particularly when they were on a promotion push."

Middlesbrough must spend Emmanuel Latte Lath money wisely this summer

With £17.6m of the total £22.5m deal understood to have been paid to Middlesbrough up front, Boro have already lined their summer war chest with Latte Lath's sale.

Given their 10th-placed finish in the Championship this season, with numerous loan players set to return to their parent clubs, and interest mounting in other star assets such as Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg, a major overhaul of Boro's squad looks set to be undertaken this summer.

However, with the kind of cash injection Latte Lath's sale has provided, his transfer fee alone could fund Middlesbrough's entire summer of spending, with any profits banked on the potential sales of Hackney and Van den Berg being stashed away for future windows.

Boro's final league position and their season-long issues, particularly in defence, was a tough and frustrating reminder to Teessiders as to how far away their team may well be from truly competing for Premier League promotion.

However, armed with a potentially significant transfer budget this summer, Middlesbrough must get their recruitment right in what could act as a crossroads-type summer transfer window.

Get it right, and Boro could propel themselves into true promotion contention next season. Get it wrong, however, and they may well set themselves back even further in their pursuit of the Premier League.