Middlesborough manager Aito Karanka has revealed his delight after working with Ghana international Albert Adomah for the past two seasons.

The pair fell apart when Karanka first took over with the Ghanaian feeling the coach was being biassed towards him.

But their frosty relationship soon became a romantic story with Adomah’s stellar performances week in and out in the championship.

The final confirmation of the growth of their working relationship is seen in an interview where Karanka praised the Ghanaian and declared his satisfaction with his output since taking over in 2013.

"If someone had [said] to me when I arrived here two years ago that I would be able to sign and work with the players we have brought in and players like [Adam] Clayton and Adomah, I wouldn't have believed them.

"Everyone is expecting to win every single game but for me, the most important thing, especially for the new players who have come in, is that they feel they are arriving together in a tight group, and they are doing really well."

Adomah, a member of Ghana's team at the 2014 Fifa World Cup, netted six times in 43 outings as Boro secured promotion last season.