MIDDLESBROUGH have been handed a £2million transfer bonus courtesy of Barcelona.
The La Liga giants completed a controversial £15m move for former Boro flop Martin Braithwaite today.
Middlesbrough’s transfer coffers have received an unlikely boost after Barcelona signed Martin Braithwaite
The Nou Camp side were given the green light to sign an emergency forward following the news Ousmane Dembele was facing a six-month injury lay-off.
And the 28-year-old was unveiled earlier after Barca met his release clause at relegation-threatened Leganes – even though the strugglers will not be allowed to bring in a replacement.
Braithwaite, who left Teesside for Spain last August, cost Boro £9m back in 2017 when joining from Toulouse.
After a bright start at the Riverside he secured an exit to Bordeaux on loan in January 2018 before 12 months later heading to Leganes on a similar deal until the end of the season.
Having linked back up with Boro last pre-season, Braithwaite finally got his wish to leave permanently as the Spanish minnows forked out around £5m after Jonathan Woodgate’s side decided to cut their losses.
However, they have pocketed a tidy windfall to go into their summer transfer kitty.
Boro have confirmed a sell-on clause was inserted as part of the package that took him to Leganes.
Although the precise figure was not revealed, it is believed to be about £2m, which would help recoup the cash they originally spent on the hitman three years ago.
Braithwaite has scored eight times for Leganes, who sit second bottom of La Liga and two points from safety, this season.
He is expected to lead the Danish attack at Euro 2020 with his nation due to fight it out with Finland, Belgium and Russia in Group B for a place in the knockouts.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
