Teesside Live

Middlesbrough appear to have won the race for the highly-touted striker

Middlesbrough are in advanced talks to sign Will Lankshear from Tottenham Hotspur in a permanent deal after securing a major transfer breakthrough.

Lankshear has been a player Boro have been monitoring for a number of years and they are understood to be close to beating a number of clubs to win his signature this summer.

Lankshear is known to have had numerous Championship clubs interested this summer. But Boro are now advancing a deal with Spurs and appear to have won the race for the highly-coveted young star.

They are understood to have made an enquiry to sign him in January too. At that time, however, Lankshear opted to stay and honour his loan agreement at Oxford United. And despite the U’s relegation from the Championship, the 21-year-old striker saw his stock rise as he netted 12 goals and registered four assists.

Signing a new striker was one of a number of top priorities for Boro this season, as a lack of goals proved costly in their failed bid for promotion last season.

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David Strelec has started the summer strongly, with three goals in the first two friendlies, but Kaly Sene rarely featured after Kim Hellberg’s arrival, while Tommy Conway was preferred out wide.

Lankshear will represent a different profile of centre forward, with the number nine noted for his strong finishing, physicality and hold-up play.

Boro are pushing to try and add a number of new players to their squad ahead of the new season. Lankshear is now likely to become signing number three, after the previous arrivals of versatile forwards Myles Peart-Harris and Kyle Joseph.

Boro still want at least one more forward, two central midfielders, a centre-back, left-back and goalkeeper.

Middlesbrough are preparing for a big summer as they look to rebuild from the heartarche of missing out on promotion to the Premier League.

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Middlesbrough will be hoping they in a different division next term but it could be a new-look Championship

Middlesbrough's aim this season has not changed throughout a roller-coaster campaign. Amid managerial changes, transfer windows, winning runs or the current loss of form, the only intention has been to win promotion to the Premier League.

While the current six-match streak without a victory has caused natural alarm around Teesside, the truth is Boro are still in with an excellent chance of fulfilling their dream.

An automatic place may have slipped away recently, but that could all change with a win over Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Sunday. A big ask, of course, but not out of Boro's reach.

It's a huge match in what will be a drama-packed final few weeks of the season, with some huge games which will decide what the Championship looks like next term.

Boro don't want to be involved, but next season's division could have a very different look, and not just because the play-offs will extend to the top eight clubs.

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Lincoln City have secured their promotion from League One, reaching the second tier for the first time since 1961. Cardiff City are almost certain to join them, needing just a win over Reading this weekend if Stockport County fail to win against Exeter.

Wolves and Burnley look destined for the Championship, though their Premier League relegations haven't been officially confirmed yet. Tottenham Hotspur are facing the very real prospect of dropping out of the top flight for the first time since 1977 when they went down alongside Stoke. West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are hovering just above the drop zone with six matches left to play.

Although Middlesbrough have dropped back slightly but remain level on points with Southampton, while Alex Neil's Millwall, who visit Stoke in midweek next week, are still harbouring hopes. Ipswich Town occupy second place with a game in hand despite Tuesday night's defeat at Portsmouth. Sheffield Wednesday have been relegated at the opposite end, with demotion confirmed some time ago following crises both on and off the field. Gary Rowett's Leicester City are five points from safety, having been two points adrift when Rowett arrived in February.

West Brom, positioned two points above third-bottom Oxford, are anxious about a possible points deduction after being charged with breaching profit and sustainability regulations. Michael O'Neill's Blackburn sit four points above the relegation zone, level with Portsmouth, while Nathan Jones's Charlton are a point further clear.

Who is going down in the Premier League?

Latest odds on relegation: Tottenham 5/6, West Ham 13/8, Nottingham Forest 9/2, Leeds 14/1

Remaining fixtures

Leeds United: Wolves (h), Bournemouth (a), Burnley (h), Tottenham (a), Brighton (h), West Ham (a)

Nottingham Forest: Burnley (h), Sunderland (a), Chelsea (a), Newcastle (h), Man Utd (a), Bournemouth (h)

West Ham United: Crystal Palace (a), Everton (h), Brentford (a), Arsenal (h), Newcastle (a), Leeds (h)

Tottenham Hotspur: Brighton (h), Wolves (a), Aston Villa (a), Leeds (h), Chelsea (a), Everton (h)

Burnley: Nottingham Forest (a), Man City (h), Leeds (a), Aston Villa (h), Arsenal (a), Wolves (h)

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Leeds (a), Tottenham (h), Sunderland (h), Brighton (a), Fulham (h), Burnley (a)

Who is getting automatic promotion in the Championship?

Latest odds on top two finish: Ipswich 1/4, Southampton 4/1, Middlesbrough 9/1, Millwall 10/1

Remaining fixtures

Coventry City: Blackburn (a), Portsmouth (h), Wrexham (h), Watford (a)

Ipswich Town: Middlesbrough (h), Charlton (a), West Brom (a), Southampton (a), QPR (h)

Millwall: QPR (h), Stoke (a), Leicester (a), Oxford (h)

Southampton: Swansea (a), Bristol City (h), Ipswich (h), Preston (a)

Middlesbrough: Ipswich (a), Sheffield Wednesday (h), Watford (h), Wrexham (a)

Who is bagging the last play-off spot?

Latest odds on top six finish: Hull 2/9, Wrexham 5/1, Derby 13/2

Remaining fixtures

Hull City: Birmingham (h), Leicester (a), Charlton (a), Norwich (h)

Wrexham: Stoke (h), Oxford (a), Coventry (a), Middlesbrough (h)

Derby County: Oxford (h), Norwich (a), QPR (a), Sheffield United (h)

Who is staying up in the Championship?

Latest odds on relegation: Odds suspended

Remaining fixtures

Charlton Athletic: Sheffield Wednesday (a), Ipswich (h), Hull (h), Swansea (a)

Portsmouth: Leicester (h), Coventry (a), Stoke (a), Birmingham (h)

Blackburn Rovers: Coventry (h), Sheffield United (a), Leicester (h)

West Bromwich Albion: Preston (a), Watford (h), Ipswich (h), Sheffield Wednesday (a)

Oxford United: Derby (a), Wrexham (h), Sheffield Wednesday (h), Millwall (a)

Leicester City: Portsmouth (a), Hull (h), Millwall (h), Blackburn (a)

Sheffield Wednesday: Charlton (h), Middlesbrough (a), Oxford (a), West Brom (h)

Who is getting automatic promotion in the League One?

Latest odds on top-three finish: Cardiff 1/1000, Bolton 7/4, Stockport 2/1, Bradford 10/3,

Remaining fixtures

Cardiff City: Reading (a), Port Vale (h), Northampton (h), Mansfield (a)

Bolton Wanderers: Hudderfield (h), Bradford (a), Luton (h)

Bradford City: Barnsley (a), Plymouth (h), Bolton (h), Exeter (a)

Stockport County: AFC Wimbledon (h), Exeter (a), Mansfield (h), Peterborough (h), Port Vale (h), Barnsley (a)

Who is making the League One play-offs?

Latest odds on top-seven finish: Stevenage 4/11, Plymouth 9/4. Luton 11/1, Huddersfield 14/1, Reading 50/1

Remaining fixtures

Stevenage: Lincoln (h), Barnsley (h), Doncaster (a), Wigan (h)

Huddersfield Town: Bolton (a), Mansfield (h), AFC Wimbledon (a)

Plymouth Argyle: AFC Wimbledon (a), Bradford (a), Port Vale (h), Northampton (a)

Reading: Cardiff (h), Rotherham (a), Blackpool (h)

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The Premier League returns for another round of midweek games that could prove decisive at both ends of the table. There are six games to be played across March 4-5 and they’re all airing live on one channel.

The results could have huge implications come the end of May, especially for those fighting to avoid relegation. On Thursday, Tottenham Hotspur host Crystal Palace in a must-win fixture where anything less than a win could see them drop closer to the bottom three.

Spurs are on a run of 10 Premier League games without a win, with their only victories this year both coming in the Champions League. New boss Igor Tudor failed to lead his team to victory in their 2-1 loss to Fulham and their 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

This week, every Premier League fixture will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+, which fans can access on Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel or the discovery+ app with a TNT Sports subscription. This costs £30.99 on a rolling monthly basis and also includes all the FA Cup fifth round games across March 6-9.

The channel will also broadcast the upcoming Champions League and Europa League games, including Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal (March 10), PSG vs Chelsea (March 11) and Real Madrid vs Man City (March 10). However, it will not show Newcastle vs Barcelona on March 10, as Amazon’s Prime Video holds the exclusive rights for this game.

Here’s every Premier League game airing on TNT Sports this week:

Wednesday, March 4

Fulham vs West Ham– 7.30pm KO

Aston Villa vs Chelsea – 7.30pm KO

Man City vs Nottingham Forest – 7.30pm KO

Brighton vs Arsenal – 7.30pm KO

Newcastle vs Man United – 8.15pm KO

Thursday, March 5

Middlesbrough are set to firm up their interest in Tottenham youngster Will Lankshear with a firm loan contract offer to the striker. Boro have long been linked with a loan move for the 19-year-old, with a deal said to be on the cards this summer.

The club will be cautious over their loan options in the coming transfer window, with permanent deals thought to take priority when it comes to time spent on deals, but with interest in Lankshear now growing from elsewhere, reports suggest Boro will make their move.

The striker has yet to play for the Spurs first-team, but has impressed as Under-21 level with Tottenham looking for him to take the next step in his development. A loan move to a Championship side would seem to fit the bill and former Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick is already gaining a strong reputation for developing talent.

Boro are looking at the striker options this summer, with Emmanuel Latte Lath the only real out-and-out striker at the club. Josh Coburn managed five goals in 25 appearances last term, and will be another Carrick will look to develop in the coming campaign.

Lankshear scored an impressive 25 goals in just 26 appearances in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy for Spurs last season and has become hot property in North London. The former Sheffield United youngster cost Spurs £2m in 2022 when aged just 17, and has played for England at Under-19 level, scoring three times in just five games.

He seems set to leave Spurs on a temporary deal this summer, with Boro said to be at the head of the queue for his signature. It would be their third summer signing of the window, following Luke Ayling and the expected arrival of Aidan Morris from Columnus Crew.

Djed Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2022