Middlesbrough have endured a topsy-turvy season and that is to be expected given how young Michael Carrick’s squad is.
The Boro boss had to contend with last season’s top scorer Chuba Akpom departing in the summer and it hasn’t been easy to replace the 28-goal machine.
They’ve tried with Emmanuel Latte Lath, Morgan Rogers and Sam Silvera, all with varying degrees of success.
Sam Greenwood, who is on loan from Leeds United, has also chipped in with goals and assists throughout the campaign.
The 22-year-old joined Boro last summer on an initial loan deal with an option to buy worth £1.5m and he has certainly made a strong case for the club to sign him.
Middlesbrough should sign Sam Greenwood for £1.5m
Greenwood has enjoyed a promising debut season for Boro and, at times, has looked every inch of an upper-end Championship player.
The former Arsenal youngster has netted five times whilst laying on three assists from a number of different positions.
He is an extremely versatile player and would be a terrific addition to the squad on a permanent basis, particularly given the fee.
Given his age, the former England youth international has plenty of time to develop and he could be sold in the future for a considerable amount.
Boro have already been through that process with Morgan Rogers, who joined from Manchester City last summer.
The talented young winger excelled under Carrick and departed in a £15m move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window.
Steve Gibson and Boro chiefs should strongly consider activating Greenwood’s £1.5m clause, as that figure could multiply tenfold after another few seasons of development at Riverside.
Sam Greenwood’s underlying data is encouraging
The Leeds United loanee has peaked and troughed in form for Middlesbrough but notwithstanding that, his underlying data suggests he is on the path to becoming a consistent performer.
Greenwood ranks in the top 20 per cent for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes compared to his positional peers around the continent, as per FBref.
Further, he averages 2.89 shots per game, which ranks him in the top 18 per cent, evincing his willingness to contribute in the attacking phase.
He sits in the top 29 per cent for tackles, so he’s clearly improving on the defensive side of his game, too.
Greenwood has to improve his output if he wants to fulfil his lofty potential and Boro appears to be the perfect environment for his development.
He has the tools to become a talismanic figure for Carrick.