Middlesbrough are currently pursuing striker options in the expectation that Emmanuel Latte Lath will leave the club this month.

While nothing is done yet, and Boro would still prefer above all else to keep the Ivorian at the Riverside this month, talks remain ongoing with MLS side Atlanta United after they tabled an initial offer worth up to £20m and will back that up by offering Latte Lath a considerable wage hike to tempt him Stateside.

Boro anticipated serious interest in the 26-year-old this month and came into January with a shortlist of potential targets should they have been needed. And in the past week or so they've been stepping up efforts to begin conversations around potential moves, should Latte Lath's move go through. While understandably Boro will aim to keep targets under wraps for as long as possible, we take a look at four potential options to them as players known to be on the move this month, while looking at two other potential sources of replacements.

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Tom Cannon

Leicester City have recalled Tom Cannon from his loan spell at Stoke City this month, with a view to sell the 11-goal striker. Under serious PSR pressure, the Foxes appear in need of the sale to help their financial situation.

Cannon is a player who Boro have looked at in the past, though despite previous links, they aren't understood to have ever actually firmed up interest in the form of a concrete offer. Despite that, it's easy to see why Cannon could be on the radar. Just 22 and with growth potential and Championship experience, he fits the ideal model for Boro.

Currently, Sheffield United and Sunderland are the two clubs being most strongly linked to the Ireland international. Both are said to be willing to do deals worth £13m this month - though a considerable chunk of that is said to be only owed after promotion to the Premier League. Latte Lath's move likely has to come quickly if it's a race Boro are able to enter.

Ricky-Jade Jones

The Peterborough striker has been linked to Boro this month, with Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony admitting a top-six Championship club had made contact. Indeed, Jones, 22, is a player Boro have looked at and added to their database as a potential future signing.

However, what isn't clear at this stage is if he made the shortlist of potential Latte Lath replacements this month - with the club likely plucking the best three or four options from their database to pursue more seriously. With 11 goals in all competitions this season, the pacey striker has attracted interest from Cardiff City as well, while Norwich City and Sheffield United have been named as admirers too.

Emmanuel Dennis

The Nottingham Forest striker is expected to be on the move this month, with a report suggesting three Championship clubs are interested in signing him, and a loan move looking likely. Having scored ten goals in his debut Premier League season at Watford, he's struggled since a move to Forest in 2022 and spent the second half of last season back at Vicarage Road where he managed just four goals in 18 games.

The 27-year-old has not played at all this season as he wasn't registered in Forest's 25-man Premier League squad, and that will be a big issue for any club that considers signing him. With Conway currently out injured and a return date unknown, Boro likely need a striker to hit the ground running, whereas Dennis might need a few weeks at least to get up to speed.

Will Lankshear

While signing a permanent replacement will be the priority, Boro's attempts to sign George Edmundson permanently this month to free up a loan spot is an indication that they appreciate they may also have to use the loan market if push comes to shove.

Tottenham striker Will Lankshear, 19, was linked in the summer and while he wasn't pursued at that time as Boro succeeded in their attempts to bring Tommy Conway in from Bristol City, Boro sources indicated he was a player they'd scouted and taken an interest in. Boro are keen to keep a close eye on academy players of all elite clubs.

Lankshear didn't leave Spurs on loan in the summer and has instead debuted for Ange Postecoglu's side this term. He made his debut in their Europa League win over Ferencvaros in October and scored his first goal for the club during the dramatic defeat at Galatasaray a month later. Sent off in the return game in Turkey, however, he's played just four minutes since and the Spurs boss said this week that he expects the 19-year-old to leave on loan this month.

Other options

In recent years Boro's recruitment team have cast their net far and wide to find value for money in the market. Latte Lath arrived from Italian side Atalanta but was spotted playing on loan in Switzerland. Players have also arrived from the Netherlands, Denmark, the USA and France to name a few.

While this reporter doesn't watch enough football outside of England to confidently put forward any names for this month, we can be almost certain that there are players on Boro's lists for all positions that stretch beyond these isles. You absolutely could not rule out at this stage a Latte Lath replacement being a name most of us won't have ever heard of, much like Latte Lath at the time he was first linked.

A last resort

Boro will be pushing hard to sign a Latte Lath replacement this month if he leaves. And it should be noted that there is absolutely no indication from any source at the club that there is any desire at all to recall Josh Coburn from his loan at Millwall.

Currently out injured and with an unknown return date, the Teessider was ultimately sent to Millwall to try and play more regularly this season and help his body adjust to the physical demands of senior football. It's not really gone to plan so far for him, with this his second major injury at the Den.

Boro want to keep Coburn at Millwall this month and aren't believed to have any plans to recall him at this stage. However, as an absolute last resort, they do have a recall clause and if it got to the final day of the window and the options were to either go on for the rest of the season with just Conway, or recall Coburn as backup once back fit, you have to assume it would be considered. It's not a scenario Boro hope to find themselves in, though.