Middlesbrough captain Britt Assombalonga will leave the club when his contract expires with the Championship side at the end of the season amid links to Rangers, according to manager Neil Warnock.
The Congolese forward – who cost Boro £15m when he joined the club from Nottingham Forest in 2017 [Nottinghamshire Live] – is also unlikely to feature in the club’s final eight games of the season.
The striker was left out of Middlesbrough’s matchday squad for both the 1-0 defeat to Millwall last weekend and the 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Easter Friday.
Making 29 appearances for the club this season, Assombalonga has scored five goals for the side but they may well be his last.
“Yes, I think that’s (Assombalonga leaving) been common knowledge for a few months really, from both parties,” said Warnock.
“It’s difficult with Britt because he’s been my captain.
“I’m not going to mess him about. It’s not his fault his contract is up and he’s on a good contract.
“I’ve had no problems with him but I’m not going to take him for the sake of taking him to put him on the teamsheet.
“We’ve got one or two other strikers on the teamsheet, I have to respect him as well. I won’t just use him like that. If the others are fit, it’s difficult to see him being involved.”
Rangers were linked with a pre-contract move for the striker by GiveMeSport who claim the Gers are considering a pre-contract move for the forward.
The striker has broken double figures in his last four seasons and is an established player at Championship level in England, netting 75 goals in total from 219 games.
Assomabalonga has also played for the likes of Nottingham Forest, Peterborough United and Watford.
Rangers have also been linked to another forward playing down south but a £5m price tag may have some thinking twice about a move.
