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Martin Braithwaite has reassured Boro fans he is fully focused and has vowed to make the season a success.

The Danish international almost left on deadline day in August after interest from Spain.



But now he is back in the fold at Rockliffe and insists he is fired up for raring to go for Saturday's trip to Norwich and beyond.

It seemed the Danish World Cup star was poised for an exit in August. Boro had an approach from a Spanish club.

Braithwaite told Tony Pulis he was keen to depart and the boss seemed resigned to his exit right up to the final few hours.

But that mooted move failed to materialise and the silky striker was back in the squad and on the bench for the goalless draw at Leeds later that evening.

Since then he has been away with Denmark but he returned to the Riverside today with an emphatic message for Boro fans.

“After a great week with my national team, I’m pleased to be back training with Boro and I’m looking forward to our game at the weekend,” he said on his Instagram account.

“Before I left I am aware there was speculation about my future so I want to assure the Boro fans that I’m fully focused on giving everything to our team, as I have been all season.

“I look forward to making this season a winning one. #UTB”

That will settle the nerves of some fans who have worried if the elegant frontman, on song this season, would be unsettled by the episode.

Braithwaite, a £9m buy from Toulouse last summer, impressed under Garry Monk and scored six goals in 21 games.

But with the arrival of Tony Pulis he was quickly farmed out on loan back to France with Bordeaux where he helped them qualify for the Europa League with a late flurry of goals.

There was much speculation over the summer that the French outfit would make the move permanent while there was also reported interest from Naples but neither was never firmed up.

Braithwaite started the season with Boro in sizzling form and has scored three goals in five Championship games.

But then Spanish clubs Leganes and Girona expressed interest as the August 31 European deadline loomed.

Indeed, Pulis confirmed a Spanish approach and that Braithwaite had said he wanted to leave.

But that fell through and Pulis was happy to harness the abilities of the frontman whose intelligent movement and neat touches have helped knit together Boro’s attacking play in an unbeaten start to the season.

And the boss insists he has no fears about the striker’s ability and willingness to put the distraction behind him and slot back into the squad.

“Martin will be fine,” said Pulis at the time. “It is the same every window. You get players who get the smoke blown in their ears, they get put off, they know about the move before us because of agents and that makes it difficult. The game has changed.

“Clubs and manager are happy once the window has closed. He will be fantastic for us. He needed to come out of it and he will go away now with Denmark and fingers crossed he will knuckle down.”