Former Premier League striker Marcus Forss has made a surprising career move after he was released by Middlesbrough in June.
The 27-year-old had spent his entire career in English football after initially joining West Brom's academy as a teenager.
However, after his four-year stint at the Riverside came to an end this summer, the Finland international has opted to depart for pastures new.
Despite reportedly being the subject of interest from several Championship teams, Forss has instead signed a two-year deal with Uzbekistan Super League side FC Neftchi Fergana.
Neftchi are one of the most successful teams in Uzbek football since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
As the country's reigning champions, the club have qualified for the AFC Champions League Elite, and Forss was named on the bench on Tuesday as they defeated Iraqi side Air Force FC.
Prior to joining Middlesbrough in 2022, Forss made his senior debut at Brentford and went on to make 74 appearances in all competitions for the Bees, scoring 19 goals.
He spent last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, where he started brightly with a brace against Wigan in just his third game for the club.
However, hamstring surgery in January would bring his campaign to a premature end, and he did not feature as the club were promoted back to the second tier via the play-offs.
Forss has earned 21 senior caps for Finland and netted in a shock friendly win over France in his debut back in 2020.
