Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath must take note of recent comments made by former Boro star Chuba Akpom.
Chuba Akpom joined Middlesbrough in September 2020 from Greek outfit, PAOK Thessaloniki.
The 28-year-old endured a rough first season at the Riverside Stadium, scoring five goals in 38 Championship matches.
Akpom was then loaned out for the 2021/22 campaign before returning to Teesside in 2022/23.
Michael Carrick was appointed Middlesbrough manager in October 2022 and his arrival coincided with a huge uplift in Akpom’s form.
The striker only featured in three of Boro’s first 10 league games that season under Chris Wilder.
However, Carrick made the decision to bring Akpom back into the eleven, starting him as number nine or as a second striker.
The 29-year-old went on to score 28 Championship goals that season and 29 in all competitions as Boro finished fourth in the division.
Chuba Akpom opens up on Ajax struggles
After scoring the most goals of any Boro player in a single season since club legend Fabrizio Ravanelli, Akpom moved to Ajax in the summer of 2023.
Things have not exactly worked out for the 2022/23 Middlesbrough Player of the Year since his move to the Netherlands though.
Ajax endured a difficult 2023/24 and Akpom paid the price, completing 90 minutes on just three occasions in the Eredivisie.
Now, Akpom has opened up on the struggles he has faced since leaving Middlesbrough, as per the Northern Echo.
He said: “I want to be part of a team that needs me. I don’t think I can sit on the bench as a second striker for another year.
“If I get more involved in the games this year, then I’ll be happy to stay here. If that’s not the case, then maybe it’s time to look elsewhere. We’ll see.
“I tried to be important in the minutes I got. That’s the only thing I could do, stay professional and make the best of it. I’m happy with that.”
Emmanuel Latte Lath must learn from Akpom Middlesbrough exit
It is easy to see why Akpom wanted to depart Middlesbrough in 2023, leaving the Championship to join a Europa League side.
However, what the former Arsenal striker did not consider is the reason a top team wanted him was because of how Carrick was able to get the best out of him in a certain system.
Akpom had never scored anywhere close to 20+ league goals in a season before and even struggled under previous management at Boro.
And while the player should be given some credit, it is clear Carrick was the main reason behind Akpom’s surge in form.
Now, current Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath should learn from Akpom’s transfer mistake and avoid doing something similar himself.
Latte Lath was brought in to replace Akpom and had a slow start to life in the North East.
But he ended 2023/24 by scoring 11 in his final 12 games and 18 goals in all competitions.
If the Ivorian can repeat that from across the entirety of 2024/25, he is bound to attract interest from some top sides, especially if Middlesbrough do not get promoted.
However, if and when Latte Lath receives any transfer offers, he should bear in mind what happened to Akpom before making any decisions on his future.