JOSH Coburn hopes to resume training next week as the Middlesbrough striker makes progress from the injury that cut short his trip to Portugal.

And after shaking off the injury and getting back fit, Coburn's aim ahead of the coming Championship season is clear - establish himself in the Boro starting XI.

The 20-year-old returned to Boro this summer after a season with Bristol Rovers in League One, a loan move which he says "benefited him massively".

Having watched Boro from afar last season, he says it's a "striker's dream" to play in a team like Carrick's.

Boro are in the market to sign at least one striker in the coming weeks after Cameron Archer returned to Aston Villa at the end of last season. Bringing in a frontman is a priority for Carrick and the recruitment team as Boro look to ensure they don't leave themselves short up-top this season, but Coburn is desperate to play his part.

"Get in the starting XI, that's my main aim, to play week in, week out for Middlesbrough. That's what I want to do," said Coburn.

"Coming through the academy, it's a dream to play week in, week out."

Boro had the most feared attack in the Championship last season after Carrick's appointment, with Chuba Akpom the division's star playing as a No.10 and Marcus Forss enjoying an impressive first season on Teesside. Coburn believes he could slot nicely into the forward line.

"Chubs has been great with me and Marcus has as well," he said.

"We all help each other - Chubs plays 10 and Marcus can play wing as well, I think we can work really well together."

Coburn hasn't yet been able to feature for Boro in pre-season, with the striker picking up an injury that forced him back from Portugal and meant he missed the games against Vitoria SC, Hartlepool and York City. But he's recovering well.

He said: "It's been really good, all the swelling has gone down and I'll hopefully be back in next week all being well."

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Boro's faith in Coburn was made clear with a new four-year contract this week, keeping the striker at the Riverside until at least the end of the 2026/27 season.

It's another big forward step for the striker on the back of last season's successful spell with Rovers.

"It was a really good season," he told Boro's club website.

"We were flying in January and dropped off a little but I think it benefited me massively, just getting used to the physicality and men's football week in, week out."

He closely monitored developments at his parent club while he was away.

He said: "I kept a close eye on things and watched a few games and seeing how they play football and how many chances they create, I just wanted to get back and start working with them.

"It's a striker's dream, if your team is creating a lot of chances it's perfect because you know you're going to get chances. You need to be confident to score them but I feel like if I get in the team hopefully I can score.

"Being on loan last season I've had that experience and coming back here I just want to push on and try and get myself in the starting XI."