Tottenham news: Should Spurs have let Lankshear leave?

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Leaping high, six yards out, to nod in Tommy Conway's cross from the left wing, Will Lankshear notched his ninth goal in 12 games for Middlesbrough.

It is that positioning, finishing and poacher's instinct, earning Boro a 1-0 win against Wolves on Saturday, that has made Lankshear an instant hit at Riverside Stadium – and a cause of lament at Tottenham Hotspur.

Lankshear joined Boro from Spurs in the summer on a five-year contract in a deal that could rise to a club record buy of £20m.

Since then, he has scored as many goals in all competitions as Spurs' combined team. His old side, despite snatching a draw at Manchester United a few hours after Lankshear's latest winner, remain in the Premier League relegation zone while Boro sit in the Championship's automatic promotion places.

Dominic Solanke's last-minute goal at Old Trafford was the first league goal scored by a Tottenham forward in five months.

It is enough to make Spurs fans despair.

"A lot of fans are wondering why he was sold," Ali Speechly, co-chair of the Women of the Lane supporters' group, told BBC Sport.

"It was likely to do with money - his sell-on price is relatively high, so let's cash in on him.

"I was definitely disappointed. Given how badly we have started this season, as a fan it feels like the wrong decision."

Amid a multi-million pound summer splurge, Spurs allowed Lankshear to leave for an initial fee worth about £10m, with an additional £10m due in add-ons based on various clauses.

Lankshear scored 23 goals for Tottenham's U23 team in the 2023–24 Premier League 2 season and played for the senior side in the 2024-25 Europa League campaign – most notably scoring then getting sent off against Galatasaray.

A 6ft 2in English striker with a deadly finishing touch, who came through at Spurs before learning his trade in the Football League. Remind you of anyone?

"I can understand the comparisons with Harry Kane," former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Sport. "He has headed down a similar career path to Harry and, physically, he has a similar stature as well.

"Like Kane, he looks like a player who is developing a little later, compared to others who are Premier League regulars before the end of their teens."

Tottenham do not have the right to immediately bring Lankshear back next summer. Clauses in the deal give them the right to be notified of and match any future accepted bid that Middlesbrough receive, and Spurs will get 20% of any profit on any future sale.

They have first refusal rather than a guaranteed, pre-set buy-back, but there remains a feeling Boro are enjoying Lankshear while they can.

Read more on Lankshear here

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