Emmanuel Latte Lath steps into breach at Middlesbrough FC as Chuba Akpom heads to Ajax - while Lukas Engel boosts left-back options at Championship club

The poster boy for Boro's renaissance under Michael Carrick last season in the shape of Chuba Akpom is in the process of wrapping up a £12.7m move to Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam - with his loss heightened by the fact that Cameron Archer will not be returning to Teesside in 2023-24.

Luton Town and Sheffield United are among the clubs keen on the Aston Villa man.

Testament to the duo’s importance arrived in the fact that they contributed 39 - almost half - of Boro's total of 84 league goals in the Championship last season.

Ivory Coast striker Latte Lath, who has joined from Serie A side Atalanta, has signed a four-year contract with the club, plus a further year's option. The fee is reportedly €5m.

Joining him on Teesside is Danish left-back Lukas Engel, who has joined from Danish Superliga side Silkeborg and has also signed a four-year deal for a €2m fee.

Latte Lath Lath impressed on loan at Swiss outfit St Gallen, notching 16 goals in 34 matches last term.

Meanwhile, Engel's addition has bolstered another problem area for Boro, in need of a fresh option at left-back after missing out on the signing of Ryan Giles, who elected to head to Luton.

Manager Michael Carrick, whose side have lost their opening two Championship games without scoring a goal and host Huddersfield Town on Saturday, said: "Lukas is a good age, he's already gained experience to a point and looking to make the next step in his career.

"He's desperate to do well and you can tell he’s very happy to be here. I'm looking forward to working with him.

“He (Latte Lath) is a similar age to Lukas and he also plenty of experience from playing in Italy and Switzerland.

“He’s exciting, quick, looks very sharp and can make things happen.

“I’m Iooking forward to getting both players settled in with the group, and delighted to have them both.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Farke says he does not expect Leeds United's forgotten man Helder Costa to still be at the club after the transfer window shuts.

The Portuguese international winger has a year left on his Elland Road contract but has not played for the club since August 2021.

Since then he has been on two season-long loans at Valencia and Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad.

Whilst the future of a number of senior players remains up in the air, manager Farke seems sure that Costa's is not.

On the former Wolves player, he said: “Helder, it's clear. So we were quite open. He was quite open, at any point, he wants to leave the club and there will be a decision.

“So, more or less, from the beginning of pre-season he was not in our plans and we were not in his plan so it's fair to think there will be a solution.”