Wanderers have secured a first deadline-day deal to strengthen their strike force with the loan signing of Middlesbrough’s Marcus Forss.
Forss has joined the Whites on a season-long loan from the Championship club to give Whites’ head coach Steven Schumacher a valued extra attacking option and further competition in the forward areas.
The Finland international, 26, brings an impressive pedigree which has seen him play Premier League football with Brentford and score goals in the Championship with both the Bees and Middlesbrough.
He also spent half a season on loan in League One earlier in his career with a prolific spell at AFC Wimbledon bringing the striker 11 goals in 17 starts, including two against Wanderers at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in December, 2019, and the award as the club’s Young Player of the Year.
“I've scored twice here with Wimbledon and I'm delighted to be here and get it all started and get going,” said Forss, whose first taste of league action with Wanderers could come against the Dons on Saturday.
“I did have a look (at the fixtures) when I signed and I did have a chuckle to myself because I have really good memories there and I have good memories of the club, so it'll be nice to see them as well.
“League One is a different kind of league and it's probably more physical. But I've been there and done it and experienced it and now I'm just looking forward to getting back out there.”
Forss – who started his career in this country in the youth set-up at West Bromwich Albion – was loaned to Wimbledon early in his time at Brentford to gain first-team experience.
On his return, he then featured regularly for Brentford in the Championship in 2020/21 – scoring 11 times that season, including one of the semi-final goals that secured the Londoners’ place in the play-off final and ultimately promotion to the Premier League.
After a handful of appearances in the top flight and a burst of goals in the League Cup – including four in one game against Oldham to take his tally in the competition to a club-record equalling nine – Forss joined Hull City on loan.
In the summer of 2022 he made a permanent move back to the Championship to join Middlesbrough in a four-year deal and marked his first season on Teesside by hitting double-figures for goals at league level to help Boro finish fourth and reach the Championship play-offs.
Forss scored seven more goals in a dozen Championship starts in 2023/24 and following an injury-disrupted campaign in 2024/25 is now ready to make a mark with Wanderers and try and score the goals to help Schumacher’s men climb the table and challenge at the top end of League One.
“I really enjoyed my time at Middlesbrough, but I needed a fresh start,” added Forss, who will wear squad number 24 after becoming the Whites’ 13th signing of the summer transfer window. “And when this came about I was really excited for the challenge. I spoke to the manager and I got a really good, positive idea about the club and the way he wants to play and where I fit in.
“When I knew that this (move) was about, I watched a game on Sky a couple of weeks ago and I was really impressed with how we played. We didn't get the win (against Reading), but I was really impressed with how we played and so I was really excited to come here.
“I've always had an eye for a goal, but from different kinds of positions. It's not just one type of goal, it's all types of goals and I’m excited to be scoring more here. I think it’s the right place at the right time, so I'm just here to prove it.”
Watch the full first interview with Marcus on Wanderers TV