Oxford Mail

Han Willhoft-King was coached under the likes of Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte, but chose to leave the sports life behind for education.

The 19-year-old had been with Tottenham Hotspur since the age of six after he had been seen playing grassroots football for TFA.

Coached by City legend Yaya Toure, Willhoft-King rose through the ranks at Spurs and even took part in first-team training sessions under Conte.

The midfielder was also capped twice by England at under-16 level back in 2021 before he moved to the under-21s at the Etihad Stadium in 2024.

Injuries caused problems for the teenager, making him endure a four-month lay-off stretch last campaign at City.

Willhoft-King is now studying a law degree at Brasenose College and has explained the reasoning behind the switch to The Guardian.

"I wasn’t enjoying it," he said. "I don’t know what it was, maybe the environment. I’m bored often, as well.

"You’d train, you’d come home, and you wouldn’t really do anything. If you contrast it to now, I’m struggling to find hours in the day.

"I’m either studying, going out with friends, playing for the university first team, also my college."

Former Norwich City, Leeds United and Birmingham City footballer Tom Adeyemi is another player who moved into academia from the professional game, studying an MBA at Harvard Business School.

Willhoft-King added: "I always felt under-stimulated in football. Don’t get me wrong. I still loved it. But I always felt I could be doing more. I was wasting hours of the day.

"I needed something different, and Oxford excited me; the people, too. I guess that’s the reason.

"Injuries were a big factor, but that’s the easy answer. I felt I needed something a bit more, mainly intellectually, which sounds quite pretentious."

Help support trusted local news

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:

Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website

Advert-light access

Reader rewards

Full access to our app

The 19-year-old chose to apply to several universities at the beginning of last season, and Oxford was one of his picks.

He said: "Also, best-case scenario, you’ll play for 10, 15 years and after that, what? I thought going to university would provide a platform for me to do something at least for longer than the next 10 to 15 years. So, it’s a bit of a long-term thing, as well."

Then, in January, Willhoft-King was offered a place at the school following an interview.

This came after the young footballer completed his A-levels earlier this year, achieving stellar grades across the board.

The former Spurs and City starlet earned grades of A*, A*, A in maths, economics and history to help get him to Oxford.

The 20-year-old made his Spurs first team debut in October, and scored on his second appearance for the club, away against Galatasaray in a Europa League clash.

Lankshear was also sent off after being booked twice in that game, and in total has played six times across all competitions for Spurs.

The striker then joined West Bromwich Albion on loan at the end of January. He played 11 times in Sky Bet Championship for the Baggies, but seven of those games came from the bench.

READ ALSO: U’s linked with moves for exciting Liverpool youngsters

Lankshear, who goes into the U’s squad ahead of the Championship opener at home against Portsmouth on Saturday, told the United club website: “This is a really exciting opportunity for me to be joining a great club.

“I learned so much last season in the first team at Tottenham and West Brom and I’m ready to now kick on with Oxford United.

“I’ve had some really good conversations with the manager, and I feel like this is the right place for me to be.

“I love nothing more than scoring goals. I want to do my best to bring as many as I can this season.

“My game is about more than just goals though. I’m a player that has taken all the information from the top professionals I’ve worked with and I’m now ready to bring it together, work hard for the team and deliver for the club.”

U’s head coach Gary Rowett added: “Will is an athletic, strong, quick goalscorer and someone who we feel can make an immediate impact.

“He has an outstanding record at youth level with club and country. He knows the way to goal, and we hope he can add those qualities to our team.

“With Nik Prelec and Will added to the squad in recent days, we are really pleased with the work that has been done to strengthen the forward line for the new season.”

United head of football operations Ed Waldron said: “Throughout the summer, we have worked tirelessly as a recruitment department to identify the right strikers for this team.

“It was always our intention to bring two quality forwards to the club, and we are delighted to have followed Nik Prelec with this loan deal for Will.

“He is one of the most exciting young forwards in the country. To bring in someone of his talent and ability is fantastic for the club and we hope he can be an important player for us this season.”

The 21-year-old striker spent the first half of the season on loan at United, where he netted four times in 20 Sky Bet Championship appearances, and was recalled by Spurs on January 20.

Upon returning to the Premier League side, Scarlett scored his first Spurs goal on January 30 as his header sparked a 3-0 victory in the Europa League group stage at home against Elfsborg, ensuring progress to the last 16 of the competition.

Scarlett has made a further four appearances for Spurs, all from the bench, including one in the Europa League.

READ ALSO: Midfielder hoping to unearth next Oxford gem with education academy

The striker was an unused substitute as Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao last night.

A goal from Brennan Johnson three minutes before half-time proved to be the difference between the sides, who have both struggled domestically this season. The Red Devils are 16th in the Premier League, with Spurs a place further back with just one game to go.

Spurs though ended a 17-year wait for a trophy, having previously won the Carling Cup in 2008, and follow in the footsteps of the club’s UEFA Cup winners of 1972 and 1984, while also qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

The 20-year-old striker was recalled from his loan spell at Oxford United on January 20, having scored four goals in 22 appearances across all competitions.

Just seven of his games were starts in Sky Bet Championship, while Scarlett featured in only three league games out of a possible six after Rowett was appointed U’s head coach.

READ ALSO: How to get unlimited access to all your U’s news

Scarlett has since netted his first goal for Spurs, in a Europa League win at home against Elfsborg, and was a substitute for Richarlison in a Premier League victory at Brentford earlier this month.

Having featured for Spurs, it meant Scarlett could only play for either Ange Postecoglou’s side or United between now and the end of the season.

Asked if there was a chance of Scarlett returning to the U’s following his recall, Rowett responded: “Decisions were made by other clubs. Decisions were made by us. You roll with that.

“At that point, we would’ve had potentially four or five players who can play as a number nine.

“Is there such a huge difference between all of those players in terms of one being so much better than the other? I’m not so sure.

“You can always look back when you pick an injury up and say what if, but ultimately you have to make those decisions, and also you would’ve ended up with two or three players, good players, out of the squad every week, and I don’t think that’s fair.

“It is what it is, and we’ll make do with what we’ve got.”

The 20-year-old striker was recalled from his loan spell at Oxford United earlier this month, having netted four times in 22 appearances across all competitions for the U’s.

Scarlett opened the scoring for Spurs on his first appearance for the club since his return, four minutes after coming on as a 66th minute substitute for Romanian defender Radu Dragusin.

The former United loanee then grabbed an assist for Damola Ajayi with six minutes to go, while Mikey Moore netted a third in stoppage time for Spurs, who progressed to the round of 16.

READ ALSO: New book reveals stories from great and good about U’s legend

Scarlett told TNT Sports after the game: “It’s amazing. I’ve been waiting for that moment for a long time. I’ve been on loan and got to experience men’s football, and I feel really good now. I’m ready to kick on.

“I’ve been training hard, with a clear mind, and just focusing on getting my opportunity. Today it came, and I’m grateful, and I’m happy the team won.”

Scarlett has now made 18 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, with 15 of those coming as a substitute.

The 20-year-old striker joined United in August, and made 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals.

Seven of his games came as starts in Sky Bet Championship, with a further 13 from the bench.

Scarlett though has struggled for regular game time since the arrival of Gary Rowett as U’s head coach, featuring in only three league games out of a possible six, and his opportunities set to be perhaps further limited by the signing of fellow centre forward Tom Bradshaw from Millwall.

Help support trusted local news

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:

Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website

Advert-light access

Reader rewards

Full access to our app

About the author

Liam is the sports reporter for the Oxford Mail, primarily focusing on Oxford United.

He joined in November 2019 as a news reporter, and has previously covered patches including West Oxfordshire, education and local politics.

Liam received a Masters in Journalism from UCLan and can be found on X through the handle @OxMailLiamRice

The 20-year-old striker is on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, but with the January transfer window open, it means recalls are a possibility.

Scarlett has impressed with the U’s, scoring four goals in 19 Sky Bet Championship appearances, of which seven were starts.

READ ALSO: U’s boss gives extensive injury update – with midfield ace latest concern

United head coach Rowett said: “I don’t think there’s any issue there. Of course you’re always at the mercy when there are recalls in there with clubs like that.

“If they think he maybe hasn’t started as many games as they’d like, or whatever reason that is, or if a different type of club comes in, then you’re in that position.

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s not something we’ve got to necessarily worry about at the moment.

“It’s quite tricky in January. Ed [Waldron, head of football operations] has that problem a little bit more than me.

“Sometimes you might have to recall a player when you perhaps don’t want to because they’re playing, but you’ve also got to think about us as well as a football club and try and find a balance.”

The Oxford United striker, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, played the first 56 minutes and was then replaced by Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap.

Scarlett opened the scoring after good work from Samuel Iling-Junior down the left-hand side saw the winger cross into the centre, where Scarlett produced an excellent diving header at the near post.

The 20-year-old had the chance to give England an even earlier lead, but his strike was blocked by a crowd of Netherlands players.

After opening the scoring though, England needed former U’s loanee James Beadle to keep their lead, and was tested when Ezechiel Banzui directed a header at goal, yet Beadle made the stop.

In the second half, Beadle made another save to deny Banzui, this time with a long-range strike.

With less than 10 minutes to go, the Netherlands grabbed an equaliser when substitute Thom van Bergen collected Stoke City winger Million Manhoef’s pass and fired past an onrushing Beadle.

England then called upon Beadle in the closing stages to make a handful of late stops.

For Scarlett though, his goal backed up the little over 20 minutes he got from the bench as England were held to a goalless draw away against Spain in their first match of the November international window.

READ ALSO: Midfielder admits rapid rise from non-league to Championship is ‘sometimes surreal’

Idris El Mizouni played 85 minutes as he picked up his second cap for Tunisia.

Line-ups published online show El Mizouni as playing up front in a 4-1-2-1-2 set-up, however match replays indicate that El Mizouni was in a midfield role at home against Gambia.

Tunisia lost the game 1-0, with the only goal of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier coming when Abdoulie Ceesay found the net with a header after 17 minutes.

The defeat saw Tunisia slip to second in Group A, behind Comoros, but qualification had already been secured.

Paris-born El Mizouni’s only previous cap came back in June 2019, when he came on as a substitute during a 2-0 friendly win against Iraq.

Greg Leigh played half an hour from the bench as Jamaica lost a 4-2 thriller in the second leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against the United States.

The US led 1-0 from the first leg, and raced into a 4-0 aggregate lead by half-time in the second leg.

Goals were exchanged at either end by the time Leigh replaced Tayvon Gray, while Demarai Gray grabbed his second for Jamaica as the aggregate score finished 5-2 to the United States.

The Leicester City loanee has impressed since stepping into the starting XI for the goalless draw at home to Burnley last month.

Including the Clarets game, Nelson has started each of the last five matches for United.

At home against Derby County last night, the centre half’s ability to carry the ball into midfield and then search for a through pass for the U’s attackers was particularly eye-catching.

Naturally, such bravery in possession brings with it risk too, and there were a couple of occasions when ambitious passes didn’t quite reach their target.

For United though, the potential reward outweighs the risk.

READ ALSO: Des Buckingham unwell and dizzy during U’s draw with Rams

U’s first team assistant head coach Craig Short, a Premier League centre back with Everton and Blackburn Rovers, is enjoying what he’s seeing from Nelson.

Short said: “I’m encouraging him to do that, and I’ve spoken to him quite a bit about it. When you’ve got one centre forward pressing you, you can do that.

“He’s got exceptional pace as well. He glides across the ground and is probably one of the quickest players here.

“He’s got two good feet, and you wouldn’t think he was right-footed with some of the left-footed diagonals he was hitting.

“We’ll encourage him to do that, of course we will, and then you’ve always got someone who can fill in for him. I’m not going to stop him doing that.”

Against the Rams, Dane Scarlett was handed his first league start for United, and backed up his stoppage time leveller at the weekend with the opener last night.

Short said of the Tottenham Hotspur loanee: “He’s deserved his chance and he’s trained really well. Last year, we had to keep rolling out Mark [Harris] every week, and he did a great job, of course he did, but now we’ve got competition, and with three games in a week, it’s important to adjust the side.

“Dane has paid us back. He was never going to last more than sixty minutes, I don’t think, and he said he was feeling it a little bit, but when you’ve got Mark Harris to come on, you’ve always got a threat anyway, so it’s good having that squad.”

Short added: “We’ve watched him in training and he’s well thought of by Spurs. Some of the stuff he does in training, you wouldn’t want to play against him.

“It’s good having the competition. Last year, it was fortunate that Mark got through the whole season without getting any injuries.

“We want to save his legs sometimes, and especially with a big game this weekend away at Sunderland, with the travelling, it’s important we do rotate the squad.”

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee replaced Mark Harris with 64 minutes on the clock, and the score at 1-0 to the Baggies.

Two minutes into stoppage time, a long Will Vaulks throw-in was flicked on by Elliott Moore into the direction of Scarlett, who guided a header beyond Alex Palmer in the Albion goal.

READ ALSO: Initial reaction from Des Buckingham after U’s salvage late draw against West Brom

Scarlett said: “I’m happy and I’m buzzing for the boys to get the result in the end, and for me, it was good to get that chance.

“I just had to anticipate it in the last minutes of the game. As a striker, you need to be ready for those kinds of moments, and thankfully it fell to me.

“It was a dream and a really good feeling, and hopefully there’s more to come now.

“I just have to be patient. My chances will come, and today it came, and I took it, so we’ll see what happens.

“It’s a challenge, but I’m up for the challenge. I’m ready to take it now. I’ve had a few loans now, but now it’s time to push on.”

During the international break, Scarlett was promoted from England’s Elite League squad, formerly the Under-20s, to the Under-21s for Euro qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Scarlett was unused in a 2-1 win against Ukraine, but got a goal and an assist from the bench in a 7-0 romp over Azerbaijan.

The striker, who has previously captained the Elite League side, said of his impact against Azerbaijan: “That boosted my confidence. I needed that. Hopefully from now on, it’s positive.

“One of the best feelings in football is leading your nation out, I would say. That’s really good, and it helps when I come back to senior men’s football.

“I can be involved and let them know that I’m a leader too even though I’m young.

“I go and play football, and enjoy football. When I’m on the pitch, I’m the happiest I will be.”