Leicester City warned over transfer window move for nine-goal Championship striker
Leicester City will have to pay ‘significantly more’ than £12million if they want to sign Middlesbrough talisman Emmanuel Latte Lath in the transfer window.
That’s according to the Northern Echo who have responded to a report that the Foxes are trying to address their striker issues with a move for the 26-year-old.
That report emerged on Thursday evening and suggested Ruud van Nistelrooy is keen on the Ivorian who has scored nine times in 26 Championship matches so far this term.
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However, the Echo insist there has been no contact between the clubs and that even if Leicester are keen they’d need to pay way over £12m for a player who has two-and-a-half years on the contract he signed when he moved to the Riverside from Atalanta in August 2023.
They say Boro rejected a £20m approach from Ipswich on the summer deadline day, while West Ham have also been linked with the forward who has scored 27 times in 62 games for Boro.
However, agent Matthias Veneroso, recently added to the speculation when he said he ‘expects something to happen in January’.
Quoted in the Northern Echo he said: "He is a striker and strikers are always the subject of attention in the January transfer window."
Boro boss Michael Carrick responded: "The speculation doesn't really make a difference for us. We're in control of a lot of things. There's always decisions to be made.
"But we're happy with the squad we've got and we want to come out of January as strong, if not stronger, than we're going into it. We'll do everything we can to do that."
As things stand Latte Lath is Boro's only fit striker, with Tommy Conway out with a hamstring injury. As for City, Jamie Vardy has been a mainstay but has missed time recently. Patson Daka is another option but Odsonne Edouard has made no impression since coming on loan from Crystal Palace.
