IT is safe to say that it's been a whirlwhind summer for Middlesbrough's new signing Toyosi Olusanya. 

The 23-year-old winger was a youth product at League One side AFC Wimbledon before falling down the football period to the National League South with Billericay Town. 

Covid disrupted the schedule of the sixth tier of English football but Olusanya has managed to catch the eye in the small amount of games he's played in the last year. 

The winger completing the switch to Teesside last Friday signing a two year deal and was then thrown straight into the squad after appearing as a substitute in Boro's goalless draw with Derby County. Neil Warnock was tempted to give him his debut but decided against it with the game finely poised at a draw. 

According to the Boro boss, it's a rarirty that Championship sides would go so far down the football pyramid in search of new talent but it's a tried and trusted method of Warnock, who managed to unearth a non-league defender and help him become a full international during his time at Cardiff City. He's a player that Boro were targeting over the summer. 

He's been telling the Northern Echo the story of how he came across his new prospect. 

“I’ve always had a chap who’s helped me" said Warnock.

“He mentioned that there were two or three players in that area so I said is there any chance of getting some clips? Because when you’re at Championship level, it’s highly unlikely you’re going to go into non-league because you don’t look that far down really.

“They managed to get me some clips and the chap who looks after them was Ciaron Brown’s man who I’d spoken to regarding Ciaron, are you with me?

“I’ve always liked him, he’s always been straight with me. I took Ciaron from Wealdstone. Nobody would have touched him and then there’s me saying I’ve got a hunch about Ciaron, I like Ciaron. We paid nothing for him, ten grand I think, low wages at Cardiff. He’s a Northern Ireland international now played with Paddy (McNair) and Sav (George Saville). The lads done brilliant.

“So when I saw these clips of him (Olusanya), I just love exciting players. I love watching Tav when he’s on form and Duncan (Watmore) when he goes passed people and Isaiah (Jones). That’s what we pay money to watch as a supporter. You want to watch these people and that’s where I see him.

“Straight away I watched clips. I asked them could they send me some of his bad clips as well but I’m sure I’ll find them.

“I didn’t want to ask the club to spend x amount or this amount. The lad’s for nothing really so I thought why not? We’re not going to lose anything. Great opportunity for him like it was with Ciaron at Cardiff and hopefully he’ll have a good few years and get the reckoning that Ciaron did.”

Olusanya may well be invovled in the squad again when Boro host Blackburn Rovers this weekend at the Riverside Stadium.