Will Lankshear: Ready for the leap?

After two very different loan spells, 2026/27 feels like the defining season in Will Lankshear’s development.

His first taste of senior football at West Brom was a reality check. Minutes were hard to come by and goals didn’t flow, but it exposed him to the physical demands of Championship football.

Fast forward 12 months and the picture looks very different.

At Oxford United, Lankshear became a genuine focal point. He finished the campaign with 11 league goals (12 in all competitions), showing he can lead the line over a full Championship season despite the club’s struggles. He returned to Spurs having played almost 3,000 league minutes – invaluable experience for a 21-year-old striker. 

So what now under Roberto De Zerbi?

Lankshear isn’t the finished article. He’s not a striker who drops deep and dictates games, nor is he an explosive runner in behind every defence. His strengths are different:

• Intelligent movement inside the box.

• Strong aerial presence.

• Excellent timing on runs.

• Clinical finishing when chances fall his way.

• Relentless work rate without the ball.

Those qualities could actually suit a De Zerbi side. His teams create high-quality chances for central forwards through patient build-up and overloads in the final third. If Lankshear can improve his link play and become more comfortable receiving under pressure, there’s a pathway to becoming a genuine squad option rather than just another academy graduate.

The biggest question is whether Spurs feel another Championship loan offers more development, or whether regular first-team training and cup opportunities accelerate him further. Reports suggest the club have already resisted permanent interest, highlighting how highly they still rate him, according to Football London.

Writers Opinion

Personally, I’d love to see him stay.

A full pre-season under De Zerbi, domestic cup starts and Europa Conference League (if applicable) minutes would tell us far more than another loan. He’s earned the chance to compete.

The academy has already produced one elite No.9. Nobody is saying Lankshear will reach those heights.

But after a couple of solid loans, this finally feels like the season where we discover whether he’s simply a promising academy striker… or a genuine first-team Tottenham player.

How big of a push do you think Will Lankshear can make this season?