THIS weekend Middlesbrough play Wolves, when they begin their attempt at returning to the Premier League, and they do so having spent big in the transfer market.

Among their new recruits being £9m man Martin Braithwaite.

In an exclusive interview Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart speaks to the Denmark striker about swapping Toulouse for Teesside

The Northern Echo:

DANISH international Martin Braithwaite believes Middlesbrough is the “perfect place” for him to progress his career after swapping Ligue 1 for the Championship.

Boro’s new No. 10 is among Garry Monk’s raft of new signings, £9m spent on bringing him to Teesside from Toulouse.

He had been in the French top-flight since 2013, a regular scorer during a period in which he was capped 16 times by Denmark.

The striker even says he could have moved to the Premier League this summer, but has no qualms about moving to a club in England’s second tier, even though there is a potential World Cup on the horizon.

A confident and straight-talking individual, Braithwaite does not believe the transfer will harm his international aspirations, and is looking forward to helping Middlesbrough’s promotion push, which starts at Wolves on Saturday.

“I have not gone down in my career. I left Toulouse when I was on top, this is a big step up and I believe a lot of people will look back and say this was the best move for my career,” said the 26-year-old.

“I’m not thinking negatively, I’m looking at the positives. I was looking for the best possible move that I could make in my career, and not just status-wise. If I was looking for status I could’ve gone to the Premier League for sure.

“If I only wanted Premier League I would’ve waited for an opportunity, because it was there already, but I didn’t see myself progressing with those teams, so I chose something that corresponds to who I am, a club that has the right facilities and philosophy from the coach. That was really important to me.

“Here I see myself progressing more than I would’ve done in the Premier League, everything around me here, the environment, it’s a big step up.

“Some people look at status, but I look at progression. This is the perfect place for me.”

Braithwaite was complimentary about the facilities at Rockliffe Park too, Middlesbrough’s training headquarters in Hurworth, near Darlington, and says he and his family are keen to familiarise themselves with the area.

His transfer was confirmed only three weeks ago, and he said: “I haven’t been around much yet, I haven’t been far, but I got a rental car the other day and have been to Yarm and Darlington, it was nice. I need to go and discover the area.

“I have a girlfriend and children, so this is a big move. It’s a big move when you have to change country and speak a new language. I’m sure, as a family, we will settle in really quickly.

“I didn’t want to stay in France and my girlfriend was thinking the same as me, she wanted to try a different culture.

“First of all I wanted to progress in my career, and after that we had to see if the family life would work here. We feel Middlesbrough is a good solution for me and my family.”

Where Braithwaite will play on Saturday remains to be seen, with Monk having a range of options at his disposal.

He has also brought in Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher, while Patrick Bamford and Rudy Gestede remain with Middlesbrough. Braithwaite is adamant there is only one position he wants to play: striker.

“Of course I want to play up front where I can make a difference,” he explained.

“I’m a striker, I want to score goals, so I need to be in a place to score goals and also make assists for my team-mates.

“It’s not only what I want it’s who I am. I know myself. If you don’t know yourself it would not be clear, but I know myself so it is really easy to say.

“I have played that position (on the left of a front three). It depends on the formation, I don’t like it when it’s really defensive.”

Braithwaite started as a central striker on Saturday against Augsburg, a 2-1 win in which he scored, Assombalonga on the left, the pair swapping as the game wore on.

With Assombalonga costing £15m from Nottingham Forest, Braithwaite does not represent the club’s costliest investment this summer, but he does rank as one of their most expensive ever players.

It is not an issue that concerns him, however. He said: “I’m not thinking about that. If I thought that I would’ve cried and said 'no I don’t want to be sold for that amount'.

“I’m not really worried about that, it’s just a number. I just play football. It’s an exciting time to be here and promotion is what I want, I’m not thinking about anything else.”