Kelechi Iheanacho’s loan move to Middlesbrough hasn’t worked out, and the Nigerian will surely return to La Liga side Sevilla with no prospect of a permanent Boro transfer.
Since arriving to the Riverside Stadium during the winter transfer window, the 28-year-old has struggled to fill the goalscoring vacuum left by Emmanuel Latte Lath.
Iheanacho has been heavily criticised by Boro fans for his performances in the second half of the season, which have mostly seen him fail to make an impact in games.
| Iheanacho’s Leicester, Man City career stats (all comps) – per Transfermarkt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Leicester | 232 | 61 | 35 |
| Man City | 64 | 21 | 7 |
Therefore, Middlesbrough must find an upgrade on the former Leicester and Manchester City forward in the forthcoming summer window, and as such, Football League World takes a look at three strikers Boro should consider to replace Iheanacho this summer.
Richard Kone
Wycombe Wanderers
Aside from his goals, Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side lost raw pace and speed in attack with the transfer of Latte Lath.
However, in Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone, they would undoubtedly reintroduce both of these characteristics into their squad.
This season, the 21-year-old has been a goal-scoring revelation for the Chairboys, cementing his place as one of the EFL’s brightest young talents.
These are the types of players Middlesbrough will surely be looking for, since Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott have both placed a strong focus on bringing quality young players to the club.
Kone has previously been linked with a move to Teesside by journalist Graeme Bailey, and he appears to be a player who is only scraping the surface of his abilities and potential.
As a result, he might set Boro up for a big payoff in the future, despite the fact that it will almost certainly cost a lot of money to get him out of Adams Park this summer.
Marc Guiu
Chelsea
Middlesbrough are constantly on the lookout for potential young Premier League stars who may be available on loan.
Marc Guiu, a Chelsea striker, is one such potential who could suit the bill this summer.
The 19-year-old Spanish youth international appears to be a centre-forward with plenty of ability and potential, having graduated from Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy system.
Guiu made seven first-team appearances for Barcelona last season before joining Chelsea last summer for an estimated £5 million.
The teenager appeared in a few Chelsea first-team games during his rookie season at Stamford Bridge and scored many goals during the Blues’ UEFA Conference League campaign.
However, given the tight rivalry for game time in Enzo Maresca’s squad, it may not be a bad idea for Chelsea to loan out their young striker for a season and provide him with crucial senior experience.
Middlesbrough were said to be interested in loaning Guiu during the winter window, but no deal was made. However, given that the Chelsea youngster may be a class above at Championship level, they may want to test the waters again this summer.
Willem Geubbels
St. Gallen
Middlesbrough is clearly interested in the Swiss Super League, since despite being an Atalanta player, Latte Lath has yet to appear for the Serie A club, with his form on loan at St. Gallen being a driving cause behind Boro’s decision to sign him in 2023.
The Swiss have certainly discovered a tendency for having a productive centre-forward on their roster, and this time his name is Willem Geubbels.
The 23-year-old, a former French youth international, was once one of Ligue 1’s most promising young players, making his debut in the league at the age of 16 in September 2017.
Since then, he broke into AS Monaco’s first team during the 2020/21 season, before spending the 2021/22 season on loan at Nantes.
From there, he would depart Monaco to join St. Gallen in January 2023, and after a modest 2023/24 season in which he scored eight goals and five assists in 33 games, the Frenchman has had a significantly better scoring season this term.
Geubbels, who had already scored double figures by the end of January, may have finally caught his stride after being linked with a number of Championship clubs during the winter transfer window.
As a result, he may be ready to try himself in English football next season, and Boro may likely wish to participate.
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