The former Portsmouth loanee rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Jayden Stockley in Pompey colours against Accrington in December 2015. Picture: Joe Pepler

For Jayden StockleyÂ the goals continue to flow, maintaining his presence among exulted company across the European club game.

The striker has struck 22 times this calendar year, compared to 16 for Pompey's Brett Pitman.

Only Ronaldo (26) and Messi (25) can eclipseÂ the Exeter man's remarkable record during a prolific 2018.

The Fratton faithful may recall him from a 12-match loan spell which yielded two goals during the opening half of the 2015-16 season.

Recruited on loan from Bournemouth by newly-appointed boss Paul Cook, Stockley was among 14 fresh faces during a busy summer on the south coast.

The loan arrangement was scheduled for six months, yet an ankle problem ensured he was barely involved long before then.

Stockley, though, did score a stoppage-time leveller against Morecambe to cap a remarkable fightback from three goals down to draw 3-3 at Fratton Park.

His other goal wasÂ the winner at Bristol Rovers in September 2015, firingÂ Pompey to the top of League Two for the only time that season.

However, he featured just once during the final 16 matches of his Fratton spell, making the squad merely three times in that period.

During Stockley's injury absence, Cook had recruited Marc McNulty and Caolan Lavery on loan, ensuring there was no longer a place for the powerful frontman.

And while he returned to Dean Court ahead of aÂ spell at Exeter, Pompey renewed loan deals for Matt Clarke and McNultyÂ for the remainder of the season.

Stockley ended that campaign with 10 goals from 22 matches for the Grecians, even lining-up against the Blues in a 1-1 draw at St James Park in March 2016.

That summer, he joined Aberdeen on a pre-contract agreement '“Â and it was from there where he returned to Exeter in August 2017 for a club-record fee.

Now aged 25, Stockley netted 25 times in 48 matches as Paul Tisdale's team last season reached the League Two play-off final.

They subsequently lost 3-1 to a Coventry side skippered by former Pompey team-mate Michael Doyle, thereby missing out on a return to League One.

His prolific return has continued, bagging nine goals in 15Â matches, including three in the last two games, for a club now managed by Matt Taylor.

And an Exeter side currently placed second in League Two will be hoping their scoring talisman can this seasonÂ finally fire them to promotion.