Middlesbrough’s summer signing says he is similar to Karim Benzema in one area of his game

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Middlesbrough are flying in the Championship, and that is testament to their summer business so far.

Rob Edwards has led the Teesside club to the top of the Championship table after winning five of the first six games.

Every signing who has come to the Riverside Stadium has hit the ground running and for one of those, he pinpoints his similarity to Karim Benzema as the story behind his success.

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Kaly Sene compares himself to Karim Benzema

Kaly Sene introduced himself to the Boro faithful with his first goal for the club in the win against West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

It happened to be on a milestone night for the striker, who made his 150th career appearance.

Strikers will always be judged on goals, but Sene says there is more to his game and that he has the same mindset as Real Madrid legend Benzema.

“They speak about the striker just when he is scoring goals, but for me, that is not the most important thing,” he told the Northern Echo. “A striker can have different types of working. He can help with defending or creating chances for his team-mates.

“I think I have the same mentality as Benzema. He said in some interviews that the most important thing for a striker is not about scoring, it needs to be about more. If I give a pass to a team-mate to try to score, that is still helping the team. And the most important thing is to win.

“I can score a hat-trick, but if after that, we lose, then that is not a good thing. If we don’t get the three points, then the team has not succeeded. If I score a hat-trick, maybe I will be happy in the dressing room, but the team will not be happy and for me, that is not the right thing.”

Middlesbrough can prove promotion credentials with win vs Southampton

This weekend will prove to be a difficult test for Boro as they make the long trip to the south coast to face Southampton.

Although Will Still’s men are yet to get going, many have tipped the Saints to be up there come the end of the season.

A win at St Mary’s Stadium would be a huge statement of intent for Boro and, at the same time, damage a rivals’ promotion attempts.