Ipswich Town enquire about Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath in seach for striker on transfer deadline day

Ipswich Town are understood to be showing interest in Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath ahead of tonight’s summer transfer window deadline (11pm).

The Ivory Coast international is a player Town fans will have seen in action last season, having scored one of his 18 Championship goals in 2023/24 against the Blues at Portman Road in the 1-1 draw in April.

According to the Daily Mail, the 25-year-old, who moved to Middlesbrough from Italian side Atalanta for a reported to be in the region of €5m (£4.2m), is seen as an alternative to Chelsea’s Armando Broja, after a deal for the Albanian international reportedly collapsed following a medical report on an achilles issue.

SuffolkNews’ media partners TWTD have backed up the link by saying: “We understand there is some interest but that the matter has currently only gone as far as the enquiry stage.”

And Sky Sports News are also reporting the interest saying it is the name ‘Ipswich fans should really be looking out for...he is the one that is really on their radar’.

Latte Lath, described as ‘a pacey, athletic forward’ on his arrival on Teeside on a four-year deal, has two caps for the Ivory Coast, having made his debut on June 7 this year in a World Cup qualifier against Gabon.

This season has seen the player who can operate in wide areas as well as through the middle score only goal from three appearances in the Championship for Michael Carrick’s side.

However, he is not the archetypal hold-up player that Town boss Kieran McKenna normally goes with to fill his central striker role.

The Blues are looking to bring someone in to fill the vacant number nine shirt with George Hirst recovering from knee surgery. It has left Liam Delap, Ali Al-Hamdi and Freddie Ladapo, who spent last season out on loan in League One at Charlton Athletic, as the main options for that role.