Middlesbrough forward Martin Braithwaite has left the Riverside to join Spanish club Leganes permanently, as confirmed by the club.

The Danish international spent the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan with the La Liga side, grabbing five goals and seven assists in 21 appearances.

The 28-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Spanish club and will join up with the squad today in pre-season training.

The fee for the forward, who had two years left on his deal at the Riverside, is currently unknown.

Braithwaite arrived at Boro from Toulouse for a reported fee of £9 million in July 2017, the summer after the Teessiders' relegation from the Premier League.

The striker has made 40 appearances for the North East side, scoring nine goals, but has never played a full season at the club.

After playing 21 times for Boro in the first half of his debut season he joined Girondins Bordeaux on loan in January 2018.

Last season followed a similar structure, he made 19 appearances for the Championship club before once again going out on loan in the January transfer window, this time to Leganes.

New Boro boss Jonathan Woodgate has been quiet in the transfer window so far, with free agent goalkeeper Tomas Mejias the only arrival this summer.

The Verdict

Braithwaite's exit seems like a good move for everyone involved and caps off an unusual saga.

Boro will be glad this deal is wrapped up and it is important that they now reinvest the funds ahead of the new season.

Woodgate needs to make additions to his squad before the transfer window closes on the 8th of August, particularly at the back and up front.

There are currently just four defenders in the Boro senior squad and a replacement for Aden Flint, who left to join Cardiff City, is necessary.

Boro scored the fifth-fewest goals in the Championship last season and Braithwaite's exit leaves Woodgate a little thin on high-quality options outside Britt Assombalonga.