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Boro forward Luke Williams has signed for League One side Scunthorpe United on a three-year-deal.

The 22-year-old travelled to Lincolnshire for a medical yesterday, and the formalities of the transfer were then wrapped up.

The deal to take Williams to Glanford Park was confirmed today, and ends the versatile front man's long-standing relationship with hometown club Boro.

"It's brilliant to have signed. I couldn't be happier," he told Scunthorpe's club website.



"I came in on Wednesday and undertook my medical, and saw all the familiar faces from when I was here before.



"Everyone is raring to get going. Knowing the club and a lot of the personnel before did help sway the move.





(Image: Dave Howarth/CameraSport)

"I knew what a good group it was and it's a club that's going places. Hopefully I can add to that.



"There are a lot of new faces around the place and people that are only going to help our cause and the push for promotion.



"I want to carry on where I left off in my last spell here. I really enjoyed myself, and managed score and create a few goals as well. I've just come here to work hard and train well. We'll see how it goes from there.



"I want to play as many games as I can, and score as many goals as I can.



"Looking around the place, we had a great group last year, and it's been added to really well. We're going to do better."

A succession of Boro managers have raved about his natural ability but he’s been unable to win a regular place in the starting line-up since making his debut five and a half years ago.

Gordon Strachan made Williams Boro’s youngest debutant in more than a century when he sent the then 16-year-old on to the pitch at Barnsley as a second half sub in December 2009.

The Scot’s successor as manager, Tony Mowbray, described Williams as one of the three most naturally talented players at the club two years ago while Aitor Karanka has also made a point of praising his ability.

However, the Spaniard, speaking in February after Williams joined Coventry on loan, also said that Williams wasn’t the finished article.

“Luke is very technically gifted but you also need to be more than just very good with the ball in the Championship," Karanka said.

“You need to be mature, you need to work a lot and Luke can do it for sure but he is on loan because he needs to improve. He can be better and I have in my mind Luke for the future.”

However, with Boro clearing the decks ahead of another promotion push next season, Karanka has decided that the player’s future lies elsewhere.

He follows Dean Whitehead, Emmanuel Ledesma and Seb Hines out of the Riverside exit door.

Williams has had several loan spells away from Boro, playing for Hartlepool in 2013/14 and both Scunthorpe and Coventry last season.