Frankfurt's Luka Jovic hot on the heels of Messi and Mbappe

Disregarding penalties, five-time Ballon D'Or winner Messi leads the way in terms of goals in all competitions this season with 30 for Barcelona, while Paris Saint-Germain forward and World Cup winner Mbappe has 26 goals to his name.

Benfica loanee Jovic is next in line on 21, including a league-leading 15 in the Bundesliga.

"I said in the summer that he's a great player, and I wasn't wrong," said Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter of Jovic. "If he keeps at it, he can become one of the greatest."

Watch: Luka Jovic scored five goals against Fortuna Düsseldorf earlier this season

At this rate, he is almost there.

With 21 goals and seven assists in 31 appearances so far this term, Jovic has had a considerable hand in Frankfurt's rise to sixth in the Bundesliga and a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.

Indeed, the 21-year-old Serbian has been integral to Frankfurt's ongoing march in Europe, with no other club able to hold a candle to the Eagles' record – an unbeaten seven wins and one draw – in either of European football's continental club competitions this term.

Next up are Serie A giants Inter Milan, but with Jovic in such scintillating form – with six goals placing him second in the UEL top-scoring chart – Frankfurt will not be afraid of the Italians.

Especially if Jovic continues to heed his coach's advice.

"Many players would have fallen apart after this first half in which he wasted many chances," Hütter told Germany's Sport Bild of Jovic's recent performance against Hannover – a game which was locked at 0-0 at half-time, but was transformed by Jovic's reaction to a motivational chat from the boss.

"Luka showed a reaction. He's 21 and very, very open to criticism. He's remarkably responsive to it and what the lad's already achieving at such an age is truly outstanding."