Middlesbrough has successfully secured the signing of Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, completing a move to the Championship club.
The 28-year-old striker has agreed to join Michael Carrick’s team, with an option for the club to make the transfer permanent in the summer. Iheanacho was presented as a new Boro player just before their match against Sunderland on Monday evening.
Middlesbrough beat out competition from Celtic and Leeds United to secure Iheanacho’s services. The Nigerian international takes the place of Emmanuel Latte Lath, who is expected to complete a move to Atlanta United, although the transfer has not been officially confirmed yet.
Boro had been in search of a permanent replacement for Latte Lath but faced difficulties negotiating deals late in the window due to inflated prices from selling clubs.
Iheanacho, with his Premier League and Championship experience, was seen as a strong loan option. The club is reportedly paying less than 50% of his wages and covering nearly the entire €2m that Iheanacho is still owed by Sevilla for the remainder of the season.
Iheanacho had a challenging stint at Sevilla after his summer move from Leicester City, struggling to find the back of the net in La Liga. He turned down offers from PAOK, Panathinaikos, Venezia, and Celtic, opting instead to return to England.
The forward now aims to regain his form as he joins Middlesbrough in their pursuit of Premier League promotion. Currently in seventh place, the club has 44 points from 29 matches, just outside the playoff spots.
