Leeds United should be one of the Premier League clubs targeting Tottenham striker Will Lankshear if they want to sign a forward with a similar profile to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Lankshear’s loan spell at Oxford United has concluded after the end of the Championship season last weekend.
He was unable to help the U’s avoid relegation to League One, but won plaudits throughout the campaign for his impressive individual performances.
Several unnamed top-flight clubs are tracking his availability ahead of the summer if Spurs do not see a place for him in their squad.
Leeds’ transfer plans are bound to include signing a striker, and Lankshear himself has shown why they should be one of the teams eyeing a move.
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Leeds should be in the mix for Will Lankshear after Dominic Calvert-Lewin comparison
Lankshear bagged 12 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for the U’s, and won their Young Player of the Year award for his impressive performances.
He is now regarded as a top-end Championship forward who would clearly thrive in a much stronger side than relegation-threatened Oxford.
The 21-year-old has now proven himself in the second tier, and a new report from PA claims that numerous Premier League sides are ready to pounce if Tottenham let Lankshear leave this summer.
Any decision on his long-term future at Spurs will not take place until they know which division they will be in next season, but Leeds should be in the mix for his signature based on his own view of his playing style.
According to The Sun, back when Lankshear was set to leave Arsenal’s academy in 2021, he chose to join Sheffield United because he valued their ‘track record of successfully moulding other physical centre-forwards such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin.’
The similarities between the pair are pretty striking, as they are both imposing, aerially dominant figures who are adept with their back to goal and can find the net regularly.
Leeds’ style of play under Daniel Farke is pretty set in stone after such a successful second half of the season playing 3-5-2, yet Calvert-Lewin’s back-ups have left a lot to be desired.
Neither Lukas Nmecha nor Joel Piroe have consistently impressed this season, and they are both different profiles to Calvert-Lewin, which works as a disadvantage for Leeds.
Lankshear’s arrival at Elland Road would clearly make a lot of sense, so the Whites should be in the mix to sign him this summer if Spurs allow an exit.
Which other strikers have Leeds been linked to ahead of the summer?
It is clear that Leeds will be eyeing at least one centre-forward signing this summer, with more goals on the agenda, having drawn the second-most amount of games in the Premier League this season.
Sources have told Football Insider that Ayase Ueda is a key target for the Whites as he shines at Dutch club Feyenoord.
Juventus’ Lois Openda has also been linked to Leeds, with Piroe expected to leave following an unsuccessful campaign in the top flight.
Lankshear would be a much cheaper alternative to those linked, but his potential could be worth investing in if Leeds are given the green light by Tottenham.
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