MICHAEL Carrick believes Middlesbrough are starting to see the best of Sam Greenwood but says discussions about the Leeds United loanee's long-term future can wait for now.

Greenwood joined on loan for the season late in the transfer window but it then emerged last month that Boro have an option to sign the versatile forward for just £1.5m next summer.

On the evidence of the promising early signs, that could turn out to be a fantastic bit of business. Greenwood has only made six league starts but already has three goals as well as winning a penalty in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Plymouth. Having arrived short of fitness after suffering an injury in pre-season, Greenwood is now upto speed and has started six successive league games for Carrick's side.

But as impressed as Carrick has been by the former Arsenal and Sunderland man, the Boro head coach is in no rush to think about the 21-year-old's long-term future, insisting his only focus is on the here and now.

“Time will tell on that," said Carrick.

"At the moment he’s doing well for us and we’re delighted to have him. As time goes on, there will be decisions to be made, but at this moment in time, it’s about performances now and I couldn’t ask for any more from him."

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Greenwood is at home across the forward line, but it's on the left that he's established himself in recent weeks, impressing in the absence of Riley McGree. He scored his first Boro goal against his former club Sunderland and followed that with the opener in the win at Norwich. He then scored Boro's third at Home Park last time out.

But it isn't just Greenwood's goals that are impressing his boss.

“Sam has done well and had a big impact in different ways," said Carrick.

"He’s got good quality and he offers a lot on the ball. His flexibility in that and how hard he works out of possession with his aggression, he gives us an awful lot.

"I think you can see he’s really settled in now. He’s got his rhythm, his tempo, his fitness and his sharpness.

"We’ve got a lot to choose from in those areas, with Morgan and Sammy doing so well the other night as well (at Exeter in the Carabao Cup),

"Crooksy has been doing well. We’ve got a lot to choose from in that area, which is great."

Boro are making the most of a week on the training pitches ahead of the visit of league leaders Leicester City this weekend, the final game in this block of fixtures before the international break. Boro have had to go without key men such as McGree, Marcus Forss and Darragh Lenihan in recent weeks and it's not clear at this stage whether they'll be back in contention this weekend.

Carrick said: "The squad is still strong, so we’ll make the most of this week, work hard, train well and look forward to the game on Saturday."