Why Peterborough United boss believes he has already found his main centre forward for next season

The Swedish striker has found opportunities limited since arriving in January from Swedish second division champions Degerfors, but he will be required to step up next season given the expected departure of Ricky-Jade Jones in the summer.

Lindgren (23) joined Posh for £500k in August, but was allowed to stay in Sweden on loan for the remainder of their season, which finished at the start of November. He scored 13 times in 28 league matches for Degerfors and finished just one goal short of claiming the league’s Golden Boot.

Since becoming eligible to play for Posh in January, however, he has started just five league matches, coming off the bench in another five, and is yet to score a League One goal. His best chance came against Bristol Rovers in February, but he missed a sitter at 0-0 with Posh going onto lose 3-1.

Lindgren’s only Posh goals came on his full debut at home in the 4-2 Vertu Trophy victory over Walsall, where he scored twice. He debuted days before off the bench at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. He did also miss over a month with a shoulder injury picked up away at Charlton in February.

Lindgren looks set to be thrust into action for the rest of the campaign though after Jones was forced off at half time at Barnsley on Saturday and is rated as unlikely to play in any of the final three matches.

This is set to give Posh boss Darren Ferguson a chance to get Lindgren crucial minutes in preparation for next season, where plans are for him to step up to the main number nine role.

Speaking after Posh’s 1-1 draw at Oakwell on Easter Monday, in which Lindgren played the second half, Ferguson said: “We are still not used to his movement. He’s done the centre-half three or four times in the second half. His movement is fantastic. He will be a good signing for us.

“He is who we are looking at next season to be our number nine. We’re going to have to look at maybe adding some others with Ricky leaving.

“We’re still not used to him. He is so different from Ricky. There was one in the second half where he’s in and it’s a two yard pass, the centre half comes short and we’re in, but we don’t see it.

“I was pleased with him as he got on the end of a couple of crosses. He was unlucky. He was sharp, I like the way he moves. He will learn a lot from the physical aspect of League One going into next season.”

Posh also have Malik Mothersille and Bradley Ihionvien as central striking options already in the squad ahead of next season. Mothersille has 15 goals in all competitions (11 in League One) this season while Ihionvien has scored twice in 15 matches in all competitions. He has started just five times in League One and like Lindgren, is still awaiting his first league goal for the club.