Denmark striker Braithwaite went from Middlesbrough flop to Messi’s team-mate

It is fair to say that Martin Braithwaite has had an eventful past few years, dating back to when he signed for Championship side Middlesbrough in July 2017 for a reported £9m.

Four years on, almost to the day in fact, Braithwaite will be involved in Denmark's Euro 2020 semi-final clash with England as they look to earn themselves a spot in the final.

The forward is also a Barcelona player, having become one of just eight players to play for both Middlesbrough and the Catalan giants.

However, his time on Teesside was far from a success, with the forward netting just nine goals for the club in all competitions.

After managing six in 21 appearances in his first six months at the club, Braithwaite joined Bordeaux on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

He then returned to Middlesbrough for the 2018-19 campaign but he again left in January, this time to join La Liga side Leganes in a loan move which later became permanent.

Speaking to Ekstra Bladet, Braithwaite gave a particularly scathing assessment of then manager Tony Pulis, saying: "The project I was presented with at Middlesbrough changed completely when Pulis arrived.

"He has a strange way to play football. The team plays defensively with long balls. It's really kick and rush. It doesn't look so good to me.

"It's the reason I didn't play much at Middlesbrough but I never complained. I worked hard and tried to maintain the good mood every day in the (training) workout."

Pulis then hit back at the forward, saying: "He is someone who has taken so much out of this football club, and given so little back.

"For him to talk the way he’s talked, it’s really disappointing. But I’ve been in football a long time, and you come across these players now and then.

"You have to deal with it, but you’re talking about a person who on two occasions has come out and said he’s got his heart and soul in this football club, and then within 36 hours, he’s going in and seeing the chief executive and asking him to leave. That just shows what Martin is all about."

After his permanent switch to Leganes was confirmed in July 2019, Braithwaite netted six goals in 24 La Liga appearances before Barcelona came calling, taking advantage of a controversial La Liga rule.

Ousmane Dembele had suffered a long-term injury and La Liga rules mean clubs can apply to make an emergency signing outside of the transfer window if a player is ruled out for longer than five months.

Dembele had been ruled out for six months and La Liga granted Barcelona permission to make an emergency transfer, allowing them to activate Braithwaite's €18m release clause.

Leganes were far from happy with the situation, losing their then top scorer in the midst of a relegation battle and ultimately going down.

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"We are in a situation of enormous and serious damage," Leganes' director general Martin Ortega said.

"We cannot understand the current regulation that a club, having a long-term injury, can perform this operation unilaterally and transfer their problem to our club.

"We consider that there is a regulation that is unfair, from which Barcelona has benefited. The one who is damaged by this is Leganes."

However, for Braithwaite it was a dream come true as he got play alongside Lionel Messi, even joking after his debut that he would not wash his shirt after he was embraced by the Argentine superstar.

Who will win Euro 2020? Let us know in the comments below

Speaking to the Guardian last year, Braithwaite reflected on the journey which had taken him from Middlesbrough to Barcelona, saying: "I’m grateful. I learnt a lot.

"I don’t have a problem [not playing] because a manager has hard decisions. I didn’t fit. That’s life. It’s normal, not personal. It adds different tools for me for the future.

"No hard feelings. Only, things were said that are far from the truth – some really, really bad comments after I left.

"We’re human and football is full of emotion. Middlesbrough supporters are passionate and I loved that. I believe in freedom of speech; people are allowed to show their disappointment.

"I shared that disappointment. People next to me know my values. It’s just a shame some try to create a picture of me. But it’s part of who I’ve become, what I learnt, what brought me here.

"It’s been a hell of a journey."

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