Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has praised forward Will Lankshear following the striker’s decisive performance in the club’s recent 3-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Lankshear, who joined Middlesbrough from Tottenham Hotspur over the summer in a deal reportedly worth up to £20 million, scored twice in the second half to secure the win and hand West Brom their first league defeat of the season.

Lankshear’s goals came either side of an equalizer from West Brom’s Jimmy-Jay Morgan, before substitute Alfie Jones added a late third for Middlesbrough. The result propelled the hosts into fifth place in the EFL Championship standings, leapfrogging West Brom. The 21-year-old’s strong start to life at Middlesbrough has been marked by six goals in five appearances across all competitions, four of which have come in league play, making him joint-top scorer in the early stages of the Championship campaign.

Hellberg lauded Lankshear’s qualities both on and off the pitch, emphasizing the player’s constant threat in the opposition’s penalty area and his eagerness to improve other aspects of his game. “Will is brilliant, as a person and as a player,” Hellberg said. “He is someone who still has to learn and develop a lot of things, but around the box, that boy is dangerous for every opposition. He is getting into the box all the time. He never misses a chance to run there or get there. Will is always there.”

The Middlesbrough manager also stressed the importance of ongoing development for the forward. “He still needs to be better in many other aspects, and he is working very hard to get there. That is true of everyone. It’s just that it’s also my job to protect Will a little bit. With all the goals, it’s easy to see just those things, but he also needs to see the things he needs to develop. He is a brilliant boy to work with because he wants to get better all the time.”

Lankshear is expected to continue working closely with the coaching staff as he adapts to regular Championship football, with Hellberg highlighting the player’s commitment to continuous improvement as a key factor in his early success at Middlesbrough.