Will Lankshear scores nine goals for Middlesbrough, BBC Sport reports
Will Lankshear has scored nine goals in 12 appearances for Middlesbrough after joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer on a five-year contract in a deal that could rise to a club-record £20m, leaving his former club facing mounting scrutiny during the Premier League relegation battle, according to reports from BBC Sport.
Why are supporters questioning the decision to sell Will Lankshear?
Tottenham allowed the 21-year-old striker to leave for an initial fee of about £10m with an additional £10m in add-ons during a multi-million-pound summer transfer splurge. BBC Sport reported that the sale was likely driven by financial considerations regarding his sell-on price. Dominic Solanke scored a last-minute goal at Old Trafford that marked the first league goal scored by a Tottenham forward in five months, keeping the club in the relegation zone while Middlesbrough sit in the Championship’s automatic promotion places.
Ali Speechly, co-chair of the Women of the Lane supporters’ group, told BBC Sport that fans are questioning the transfer decision given the team’s ongoing scoring struggles. “A lot of fans are wondering why he was sold,” Speechly said, adding that it feels like the wrong decision given how badly Tottenham started the season.
How does his playing style compare to Harry Kane?
Standing 6ft 2in tall, Lankshear has drawn comparisons to Harry Kane due to his physical stature, aerial ability, and developmental trajectory. Both players spent time in early academies—Lankshear was released by Arsenal and signed with Sheffield United before moving to Tottenham at age 17—and both experienced varied loan spells before breaking into senior football.
BBC Tees commentator Mark Drury told BBC Sport that Lankshear possesses instinctive finishing and positional awareness. “Boro was a team that made a boatload of chances, and he knew he would be able to get on the end of them,” Drury said. Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson also noted to BBC Sport that Lankshear shares a similar career path and physical build with Kane, emphasizing that regular first-team minutes at the professional level remain essential for young prospects.
What challenges did he face before his breakthrough at Middlesbrough?
Before establishing himself at Riverside Stadium, Lankshear scored 23 goals for Tottenham’s Under-23 team in the 2023–24 Premier League 2 season and featured in the senior squad during the 2024–25 Europa League campaign, where he scored and received a red card against Galatasaray. His loan spells included an unremarkable stint at West Brom followed by a more productive run at Oxford United, where he scored 12 league goals last season before Middlesbrough secured his permanent signature.
Middlesbrough entered the transfer window needing a physical presence to convert chances created by Kim Hellberg’s side, having missed out on promotion last season after scoring only once in three play-off games. Lankshear recently marked his international progress by scoring on his England Under-21 debut against Kazakhstan in September.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.