Benik Afobe playing for Wolves and country
Benik Afobe today set himself a double aim of firing Wolves into the play-offs and gatecrashing the England squad for June's Under-21 European Championship.
The £2million January signing from Arsenal is 22, but is eligible as he was within the age limit when qualifying for the tournament began,
The prolific striker already scored three times in six Championship games since his arrival at Molineux and was already among the best goal-getters in the country.
It's took his tally to 22 in all competitions this season, taking into account the 18 he netted at Milton Keynes Dons earlier in the campaign.
Rotherham were in his sights at Molineux today, with the visit of Fulham on Tuesday night and next Saturday's trip to Cardiff City then to come.
And Afobe admitted he's playing with club and country ambitions in mind, having long surpassed his personal goal expectations for 2014-15.
He said: "It was a good first half to the season for me at MK Dons. I scored a lot of goals, they won a lot of games and we played some good football.
"At the beginning of the season, if you had said to me I would score 15 goals I probably would have took that. I have got 22 now and there's still 15 games to go.
"I have only been at Wolves for a month or so, but their style has been equally pleasing to me. There's no goal target, really, I just want to keep improving all of the time.
"I have reached a level and I want to kick on from here."
Berahino has been capped by England up to Under-19 level, with a groin injury curtailing an Under-21 call up last August to replace Danny Welbeck.
Welbeck is now established in the senior side with Under-21 first choices of West Brom's Saido Berahino, Tottenham hot-shot Harry Kane and Burnley ace Danny Ings looking to follow suit.
They are in pole position to go to June's Euros in the Czech Republic but, with Berahino and Kane in particular, may find themselves double booked.
The full national team have a friendly in the Republic of Ireland and their own qualifier away to Slovenia, which finishes three days before the Under-21 schedule begins.
That could open the door for the likes of Afobe, Bournemouth's Callum Wilson, Fulham's Cauley Woodrow and Middlesbrough loanee Patrick Bamford to stake their claims.
Afobe said: "I feel like it's been stop-start with the England groups, but it's been a good season for me and there's an Under-21 European Championship in the summer.
"There's a lot of good strikers in that England squad. Harry Kane, Saido Berahino and Callum Wilson are all going great things for their clubs and it's nice to see.
"That's a position where the senior team have been lacking, but now you are seeing young players scoring goals in the Championship and the Premier League.
"With the way the boys are evolving, there might be spaces available."
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