Middlesbrough have confirmed Sol Bamba has officially joined the club in a player-coach role, having successfully recovered from cancer in May.
The defender underwent treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year but after recovering, started to train with Boro in the summer and has now signed a one-year deal to continue his association with Neil Warnock, whom he worked with at Cardiff.
Bamba will also take on a coaching role with Middlesbrough’s academy after he helped out with those duties in pre-season.
“Initially Sol had asked if he could come and train with us, and I was more than happy. He’s a great lad to have around,” Boro boss Warnock explained.
“When we were away in Cornwall he was at Rockliffe and helped with the under-23s and under-18s, and everyone was really impressed with him.
“I have to be honest, I didn’t expect him to look as sharp as he has done after everything he’s been through, but he’s done remarkably well.
“At the moment the priority for him is to concentrate on his fitness and being in the squad, but we want him to be involved with the under-23s as well. I feel he’s just the type of person we need to be involved with that age group.
“He has bags of experience and he will be a real asset for us both on and off the pitch. I’m delighted to have him on board.”
Bamba joins Middlesbrough after spending the last five seasons at Cardiff, where he helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2018.
During their solitary campaign in the top flight, the centre-back ruptured cruciate knee ligaments before in January it was revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer, but the 36-year-old has recovered and will look to build on the next chapter of his career at Riverside Stadium.
