MIDDLESBROUGH are set to complete the double signing of striker Kelechi Iheanacho and winger Samuel Iling-Junior ahead of this evening’s transfer deadline, with the pair both having agreed moves to Teesside.
Iheanacho is joining on a season-long loan deal from Spanish side Sevilla, while Iling-Junior is arriving on loan from Aston Villa, having spent the first half of the season in Italy with Bologna.
With Emmanuel Latte Lath’s permanent move to MLS side Atlanta United, in a deal worth around £22m, due to be confirmed today, Boro tied up a deal for Iheanacho over the weekend, with the 28-year-old having travelled to England yesterday to begin a medical.
The forward, who joined Manchester City’s academy in 2015 after starting his youth career in his native Nigeria, scored 61 goals in 232 senior appearances for Leicester City prior to moving to Sevilla last summer, but has struggled to establish himself in the Spanish top-flight.
He has scored three goals in 11 outings for Sevilla, but has been allowed to join Boro, where he will compete with Tommy Conway for a place in Michael Carrick’s starting line-up.
Iheanacho’s transfer should be completed well ahead of tonight’s 11pm deadline, although his registration will not go through in time for him to be considered for this evening’s Tees-Wear derby against Middlesbrough. He is, however, expected to be at the Riverside to watch the game.
Having been playing and training regularly with Sevilla, he should be able to hit the ground running as Boro look to secure at least a play-off place in the remainder of the campaign.
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He is set to be joined in the Boro squad by Aston Villa winger Iling-Junior, who has also agreed the terms of a loan switch to Teesside.
Former Chelsea youngster Iling-Junior joined Villa from Juventus in the summer before returning to Italy to link up with Bologna on loan.
However, Villa opted to recall the 21-year-old after he made just 16 appearances in all competitions for Bologna, without starting a single Serie A game. He will now join up with Boro until the end of the season, competing with Delano Burgzorg and the currently-injured Riley McGree for a starting spot on the left-hand side.
Iling-Junior is an 11-time England Under-21 international and was a regular for Juventus last season. He is versatile, having also played as a wing-back during his time in Italy, and highly-regarded, with Brighton and Tottenham having been linked with a move for his services before his summer move to Villa.
He will further boost a Boro attack that has already been bolstered by the capture of Morgan Whittaker this month, with the former Plymouth winger set to make his Boro debut against Sunderland this evening.
