Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk signs West Ham ace Ashley Fletcher in £6.5m deal on four-year contract

MIDDLESBROUGH have taken their summer spending to over £40million after completing a move for West Ham forward Ashley Fletcher.

The 21-year-old has become Garry Monk’s sixth permanent summer signing in a £6.5million deal.

Boro confirmed his arrival on Friday after the youngster penned a four-year deal at the Riverside.

It is the second time within a week that the Teessiders have raided the Hammers for talent.

Goalkeeper Darren Randolph moved north last weekend in a £5m deal.

Fletcher has added to the firepower already assembled by Monk over the last month.

The Championship side broke their transfer record to bring in Britt Assombalonga from Nottingham Forest for £15m.

Fellow attacker Martin Braithwaite has also joined from Toulouse in a £9m deal.

Monk has wasted no time in rebuilding the Boro squad since taking charge of the North East outfit.

He has also added defender Cyrus Christie form Derby and midfielder Jonny Howson from Norwich.

Swansea City youngster Connor Roberts has also arrived on a season-long loan to help bolster the defence.

Fletcher started his career at Bolton before joining Manchester United’s academy aged 13.

He went out on loan to Barnsley and scored an impressive nine goals in 27 matches for the Tykes as they won promotion from League One.

International recognition soon arrived, and he netted on his England Under-20s debut against France back in November 2015.

He rejected a new contract at United last summer and left to join West Ham upon his deal expiring.

Fletcher made 20 appearances for Slaven Bilic’s side, with only three starts, and scored his only goal against his old side in the EFL Cup.

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