Ipswich are on the look-out for a new striker as they prepare for life back in the second tier following last season’s relegation from the Premier League.
They are in a position where they can spend big money on a forward as not only will they be receiving Premier League parachute payments, they are also set to bank £30m from Delap’s impending move to Chelsea.
The Suffolk club have made repeated moves for Latte Lath in the past, only for their attempts to sign the Ivory Coast international to have failed to come to fruition.
Middlesbrough rejected bids from Ipswich for Latte Lath last summer, while the Tractor Boys also made a last-ditch attempt to hijack the 26-year-old’s move to Atlanta United in January.
Latte Lath eventually left Teesside to head to the MLS in a deal that was reportedly worth £22.5m, but he has struggled to adapt to life in the United States.
Latte Lath has scored five goals and claimed one assist in his 16 MLS matches with Atlanta, with his team currently sitting in 13th position out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.
READ MORE:
His proven track record in the Championship is attracting Ipswich’s interest though, with Kieran McKenna keen to have a proven forward in place for the start of the new season.
Latte Lath scored 11 goals in 11 Middlesbrough matches at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, and had scored 11 goals in 29 league games in the first half of last season prior to leaving England at the end of the January window.
His proven pedigree in the Championship makes him an attractive option, and while Atlanta only signed him four months ago, their struggles during the current MLS season means they could be tempted to cash in if Ipswich lodge a formal offer this summer.
That would raise the intriguing possibility of the former Boro favourite lining up against his former employers next term, with the Teessiders not in a financial position where they could compete to re-sign the striker.
This will be a busy summer at the Riverside, with Boro’s recruitment team needing to strengthen in a number of different areas. The club could also face a battle to hold on to Hayden Hackney, who is set to feature for England at this summer’s Under-21 European Championships, and Rav van den Berg, who could be part of the Netherlands squad at the same tournament.
