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FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has been discussing whether Boro have a gem on their hands in the shape of Kaly Sene.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough remain unbeaten after eight Championship games this season, and one of the key reasons why Rob Edwards' side are yet to taste defeat has been the goals of Kaly Sene.

Three draws in their last four league games has somewhat taken the burst out of Boro's flying start to the campaign, but the Teessiders are still out in front.

However, it is perhaps only the point earned against Stoke City on Tuesday night that will be seen as a frustrating one for Middlesbrough fans, as it was a tale of two halves at the Riverside Stadium, with the home side being on top in the opening 45 minutes, before Mark Robins' Potters side enjoyed a much-improved second-half that could've seen them claim all three points.

Aside from that game, Boro's other two against Southampton and Preston North End respectively, both saw the Smoggies come from behind to earn a second-half point.

"Exciting" claim made for Middlesbrough newboy Kaly Sene - Emmanuel Latte Lath comparison made

Indeed, it was Middlesbrough's new summer signing Sene that popped up with an excellent finish to earn Boro a point away at St Mary's last weekend.

It was also the club's £1.5m signing from Swiss side Lausanne-Sport that netted the winning goal in Middlesbrough's 2-1 win over West Brom on matchday six.

As a result, he's quickly endeared himself to the Riverside faithful, but just good is the 24-year-old ex-Juventus talent?

We asked our Middlesbrough fan pundit, Liam Day: 'How excited are you about Kaly Sene? Do you think Boro could have a gem on their hands?'

Liam said: "I feel like we've only really seen small glimpses of him so far, if I'm honest with you.

"He looks exciting. He wants to get on the ball, he's quite physical as well: I was quite surprised by that.

"He seems to have adjusted to life in the Championship really well, and his finishing as well seems really good. His run in-behind against Southampton was great.

"He's done it multiple times in games and just not been found, so it was really good to see that he did get found with that one.

"For the price we paid - he started the season on fire with his old club as well (scored six in eight for Lausanne before Boro transfer) - it seems like a really good pickup to be honest.

"He reminds me a lot like Emmanuel Latte Lath, but a bit more controlled. A bit less pace, but off the bench, he seems like a great player and he could very easily make his way into the starting XI if he keeps up the form he's been in."

Kaly Sene certainly shares similarites to ex-Middlesbrough star Emmanuel Latte Lath

One of the finest pieces of transfer business Middlesbrough have performed in the club's 149-year history was the purchase, and subsequent sale of Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Signed from Serie A giants Atalanta in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of just over £4m, in the space of 18 months, Boro were able to transform the centre-forward into a player that MLS outfit Atlanta United were happy to splash £22.5m on in February of this year.

It was a deal that broke both the MLS record transfer fee for a player, and Middlesbrough's club-record for a fee received for one of their players, and it was one that helped to fund the club's impressive summer of recruitment ahead of this season, including the arrival of Sene.

Now, Sene is still very much in the infancy of his career on Teesside, and does still have some way to go in order to replicate the form and impact that Latte Lath had in the red and white shirt.

Boro's former hitman bagged 18 goals in all competitions during his debut 23/24 campaign for the club, before scoring 11 times in all competitions last term, before crossing the pond last winter.

Those numbers may prove particularly tougher for Sene to replicate too, as unlike Latte Lath, Boro's current striker finds himself in a Middlesbrough team that is blessed with a number of high-quality centre-forwards, with Tommy Conway and David Strelec sure to provide stern competition for minutes moving forward.

However, there are already some clear similarities between the two strikers, both in their footballing backgrounds, and in the qualities they bring to the team.

Both players have spent time in Italian and Swiss football, with Sene having been part of Juventus' youth system, before representing Basel, Grasshopper and Lausanne respectively.

Whilst Latte Lath enjoyed numerous loan moves with lower-league Italian sides during his Atalanta days, before spending a season out on loan with Swiss side St. Gallen in 22/23, before leaving for Middlesbrough having never made a competitive appearance for Atalanta.

On the pitch, Sene looks to share that same energy and willingness to run and press that Latte Lath displayed, as well as seemingly having that same confident and clinical nature when chances present themselves that Boro's former number nine did.

Sene is also commonly seen dropping into midfield to rob unsuspecting opposition players of possession, whilst also not being afraid to thunder into some big tackles too.

So, for the fee paid, Sene looks to have all the hallmarks of being a real bargain buy for Boro, and is a player that has proven he can impact games in a variety of ways, and in a short space of time too.