Middlesbrough are targeting Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga – a player who would have been well out of Leeds United’s reach
New Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk
It’s unlikely that new Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk will need to trawl through endless hours of video footage to work out why they finished second bottom in the Premier League last season.
Netting just 27 goals in 38 top flight games, and with top scorer Alvaro Negredo returning to Valencia upon the expiry of his loan deal, it’s clear that a new striker is a must at the Riverside this summer.
And this certainly justifies their interest in Nottingham Forest talisman Britt Assombalonga, as reported by Sky Sports. When fit, the former Peterborough United forward is one of the most fearsome goalscorers in the Championship.
Nottingham Forest’s Britt Assombalonga
Club record deal?
Assombalonga hit 14 in just 20 league starts last season, including a clinical brace on the final day against Ipswich Town which secured Forest’s survival by virtue of a better goal difference than Blackburn Rovers.
However, Boro would certainly have to pay big for the 24-year-old, perhaps even eclipsing the club record £12.5 million signing of ill-fated Brazilian striker Alfonso Alves from Heerenveen back in 2008 (The Telegraph).
The Daily Mail claims that Forest rejected a £7 million bid from Norwich City last summer and, just a few weeks later, he signed a new five-year deal at the City Ground.
Nonetheless, the fact that Boro can legitimately harbour hopes of luring Assombalonga to the Riverside perhaps justifies Monk’s decision to swap Leeds United for the North East club.
Monk performed minor miracles on a small budget at Elland Road last season but the Yorkshire Evening Post claim he was frustrated at the slow pace of activity in January – where the club’s failure to adequately provide attacking reinforcements played a major part in Leeds missing out on the play-offs.
The club would never have had the budget to target a player of Assombalonga’s quality and reputation. However, the fact that he can make a sensible bid at the Riverside suggests Monk will have the backing to achieve his ambitions.
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