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Former Championship attacker Sam Parkin has hailed Tottenham Hotspur loan star Will Lankshear for his incredible maturity as a striker, despite him being only 20.
The Welwyn Garden City-born striker came through Arsenal’s academy and spent a year in Sheffield United’s youth system.
Spurs snapped him up back in 2022, and last season, he played six senior games for Tottenham’s first team.
The England Under-21 had a forgettable loan spell at West Brom in the second half of the previous campaign, where he played eleven times, without scoring once.
This summer, though, Oxford United loaned him in and the 20-year-old forward has started life at the Kassam Stadium well, living up to being backed to make an immediate impact.
Lankshear has scored three goals in six league starts and ex-Championship hitman Parkin is impressed with how the Spurs loanee has done so far.
The 44-year-old stressed that Lankshear has looked brilliant playing striker for Gary Rowett’s side and he lauded the young Englishman for his maturity at 20.
Game Competition Sheffield United (H) Championship QPR (A) Championship Watford (A) Championship Oxford United’s next three games
“Will Lankshear, different class, up front – he looks very mature for such a young lad, playing that role”, Parkin said on the Championship Check-in show (25:28) about the Tottenham loanee.
“And, it is not something that happens overnight, even for the big old-fashioned looking centre-forward.
“You learn that position over time, you learn the importance of keeping the ball in the final third, of winning throws, of winning free-kicks, of keeping hold of the ball for your side.
“He looks incredibly mature for someone so young.
“[He] could have had another goal himself.”
Several EFL sides were keen on Lankshear, but the U’s saw off competition to land the 20-year-old on loan.
Now, Lankshear will look to continue his electric start, cementing himself as a key part of Rowett’s plans for the rest of the campaign.
Oxford United’s first win of the Championship season came on Sunday, as they went to Bristol City and won 3-1.