Josh Coburn: Bristol Rovers striker 'could play for England', says boss Joey Barton

Coburn has scored five goals in 10 appearances in League One so far this season for Bristol Rovers

On-loan Bristol Rovers forward Josh Coburn has an "enormous future" ahead of him and could one day represent England, says boss Joey Barton.

Coburn, who turned 20 last week, joined on a season-long loan from Championship side Middlesbrough this summer.

He has since made 10 league appearances and scored five goals for the club.

"I think he's got an enormous future out in front of him if he gets a bit of luck with injuries," Barton told BBC Radio Bristol.

"I think he could go on to play for England."

Coburn did not make his first appearance for Bristol Rovers until the start of October because of a knee injury he suffered playing for Middlesbrough on the first day of the season.

However, he has since become a regular starter as the team stretched their unbeaten run in League One to four matches and moved up to 12th in the table with Saturday's win over Port Vale.

"We'd love to have him on a five-year deal but we've got him for a year and it's great to be part of his journey, he's a fantastic lad and a top player," Barton said.

"I think you could see him go on, you might see him playing in a World Cup playing for England.

"Name me some young centre-forwards like him, name me young English boys at 19 who are scoring virtually one every two games at League One level.

"Not only that, handling the physicality. Everyone is looking for these forwards and, trust me, he's got all the components - if he keeps developing his game - to go on and be an elite-level player."

Coburn joined Middlesbrough's academy in 2019 after five years with Sunderland's youth teams and made his first-team debut in April 2021.

He scored his first goal for Boro in his second appearance for the club, and also scored the winning header against Tottenham to send the team into last season's FA Cup quarter-finals.

"He's grown for the regular rhythm of games, you can see his performance has grown week-by-week and again [on Saturday], he was head and shoulders the quality player on the pitch," Barton added.

"When you watch him play, just the things he does; his composure, his touch. But he's got that frame and it's not just that, it's the way that he uses it, strikers usually don't bed down until they're 25 or 26 and they understand where the body is in time and space."