KIKE has revealed that Aitor Karanka was the key to his summer move to Middlesbrough, and spelled out his determination to avoid a repeat of last season’s narrow failure to win promotion to the top-flight in Spain.

Having been part of a Real Murcia side that lost to Cordoba in last season’s Segunda Division play-offs, Kike was approached by a number of clubs looking to recruit him this summer.

He toyed with remaining in his Spanish homeland, but eventually agreed to a £2.8m move to Middlesbrough and a new life in the Championship.

The switch has already been a success, with Kike scoring six goals in all competitions as Boro have risen to third in the table, but it would almost certainly not have come about had Karanka not been in charge at the Riverside.

Boro’s head coach was the assistant manager of the Spain Under-20 side when a youthful Kike represented his country in the Under-20 World Cup in 2009, and the pair established a relationship that paved the way for this summer’s transfer dealings.

“My decision to come to Boro was largely down to him,” said Kike, who is set to lead the line as Boro travel to Wigan Athletic this afternoon. “He spoke to me and told me everything – his desire to do well and the ambition of the club.

“He is very demanding on the training pitch and in matches. As a player, he gets the best out of you. He wants to do things well (and) achieve what everyone around the club is hoping for this year.”

The primary ambition for the remainder of the season is promotion, and while Karanka’s rotation policy means the workload will continue to be spread around, Kike’s form in front of goal will be crucial to Boro’s hopes of returning to the top-flight.

The 24-year-old has started 13 of his side’s 17 league games to date, with his rugged, aggressive style belying any fears that he would fail to cope with the physical demands of life in the Championship.

Happy to receive the ball with his back to goal in order to bring his fellow attacking players into the game, Kike is more of an ‘English-style’ centre-forward than a continental striker playing on the shoulder of the last defender.

“I like to hold the ball up,” he said. “I think I’ve fitted in well. I’ve got six goals, but I could have had a few more.”

Last season, Kike scored 23 goals in the Spanish Second Division, only to see Real Murcia suffer a play-off semi-final defeat that preceded their demotion to the third tier because of an unpaid tax bill.

“We gave it everything, and it really hurt,” he said. “But I am in a different team now, and it would be tremendous for me. Let’s hope things work out and we do go up, and get the club back where it should be.”