Will Lankshear has established himself as a key goal threat for Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium, scoring in all but one of his appearances this season, with two goals coming across four matches.
Since the end of the September international break, the forward has been in sensational form, netting seven goals in five games, including a four-goal haul in his last two victories over Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.
Among English players in the Premier League, Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers leads with five goals, while Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin has four. Lankshear’s impressive tally places him ahead of both, underscoring his prolific efficiency.
Remarkably, the Middlesbrough attacker has outscored England captain Harry Kane, who has 12 goals in 14 appearances for Bayern Munich and the national team this season.
After featuring for the England Under-21 side last month, manager Hellberg believes Lankshear has evolved significantly since his summer transfer, stating he is already a superior player to his initial arrival.
“Will is fantastic,” Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees. “He does everything every day. You can see the improvements through the season. When he arrived, he was unbelievable in the 18-yard box, and then he added on qualities in his defensive game that we worked with and pushed him to do, which he has done brilliantly and I am so happy with him getting a goal against Charlton from pressing high. He’s a brilliant lad.”