Oxford Mail

The 22-year-old was one of 10 players who left Oxford at the end of their contract in May after two years in OX4.

Knightbridge acted as a third-choice keeper during his time with the U's but never made a first team appearance.

The former England youth international has now signed for Premier League club Spurs after coming up through the academy of rivals West Ham United.

He will link up with the club's Under-21 setup.

The young shot-stopper had reportedly been on trial with National League outfit Southend United earlier this summer.

During his time at Oxford, Knightbridge was sent out on loan on two occasions with short-term spells at Braintree Town and AFC Totton, playing twice for the former and six times for the latter.

The striker left Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur this week to join Boro in the Championship for a deal worth an initial £10 million, increasing by another £10 million in add-ons based on various incentives.

The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at the U's from Spurs, scoring 12 goals as the club were relegated to League One under Matt Bloomfield.

Winning the Men's Golden Boot and Young Player of the Season award with the Yellows, Lankshear became a fan favourite in OX4 and has been tipped by many for a career at the top of the game.

He signed for the Teessiders officially on Wednesday, leaving Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs after graduating from their academy and played six senior games, scoring one goal which came in the UEFA Europa League.

The England youth international join former Oxford man Myles Peart-Harris in signing for Boro.

Upon arriving at the Riverside Stadium, Lankshear refreshed his Instagram social media page leaving just 10 posts, two from his time at Oxford - a post announcing his awards triumphs and a collaboration with the club where he was videoed scoring a header against Portsmouth.

In his post announcing he had joined the Kim Hellberg's Boro, current and former U's names issued their messages of support.

Former head coach Gary Rowett, who kept Oxford in the second tier in the 2024/25 season before getting sacked last December, commented: "Good luck Will...well deserved."

Ex-Yellows midfielder Peart-Harris issued his welcome whilst Indonesia international Ole Romeny, who recently departed on loan to Dutch side Fortuna Sittard with a permanent option, said: "Letsgoo !!"

Current Oxford players Aidomo Emakhu, Brian De Keersmaecker and Greg Leigh all also issed warm messages of support to the Teessiders' new centre forward.

On his post issuing a heartfelt goodbye to former club Spurs, some big names shared their support.

Jamie Donley, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Kassam Stadium and is contracted to the Premier League side, commented a gif expressing his sadness and support.

Meanwhile, Tottenham stars such as James Maddison, Dominic Solanke and Destiny Udogie all shared good luck messages.

Lankshear shone as a youth player for the Lilywhites, scoring 26 goals in 35 matches for the Under-21 side.

He made a first loan move to West Bromwich Albion in January 2025 where he did not manage to score in 11 games before spending the last campaign at Oxford under Rowett and then Matt Bloomfield.

Lankshear returned to the Premier League side at the end of last season after spending the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Oxford.

During his spell, the striker grew to into a fan favourite and club hero for his increasingly impressive performances and for his likeability off the pitch.

The 21-year-old bagged 12 goals for United, winning the Men's Young Player of the Year award and the Men's Golden Boot.

After the club's final home game of the Championship season, a 4-1 win over fellow relegated outfit Sheffield Wednesday, Lankshear credited Oxford as the place where his senior career truly began.

The Spurs centre forward is set to begin pre-season in North London soon, with it unknown whether he will be a part of Roberto De Zerbi's squad this season or be sent out on loan again.

Lankshear has drawn comparisons to England and Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane for his finishing and journey through the ranks with the Lilywhites.

In a private training session with teammate Mikey Moore, who spent last season on in Scotland with Rangers, the former Yellows favourite was wearing an Oxford United training top as he showed off his goal scoring prowess.

U's fans reacted to the footage, with one fans saying he is "forever a Yellow".

Another said Lankshear is an "Oxford legend already".

Spurs have apparently already turned down offers for the England youth international whom the club rate at a reported £20 million.

According to a new report by TeamTalk, Lankshear is set to permanently join Roberto De Zerbi's first team squad this summer.

The ex-U's striker, who was the club's top scorer last term with 12 goals in all competitions, is highly rated by his parent side who narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last season finishing two points above the drop zone.

The Lilywhites are reportedly expected to part ways with Brazilian forward Richarlison, who was the club's top scorer with 12 goals last term.

Meanwhile, English centre forward Dominic Solanke's future at the club is also in doubt as he continues to be plagued by injury at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

These potential departures could pave the way for Lankshear to make his mark on the first team.

The 21-year-old has already made three Premier League appearances for Spurs as well as scoring one goal in three Europa League features.

In a breakout season in men's football, the England youth international became a fan favourite in OX4 for his tenacity and goal scoring success in a struggling Championship team.

Lankshear's attitude off the pitch also endeared the fans to his name, with the player crediting the club as the place where it all began ahead of a hopefully successful career.

The Tottenham Hotspur youngster's sweet second strike against Sheffield Wednesday has seen him selected for the April award.

After flicking home a neat opening goal in a 4-1 win over The Owls, Lankshear doubled his and his side's tally when he picked up the ball inside the attacking half, took a clever touch inside, and whipped the ball into the top right corner from outside the penalty area.

In The U's final home game of the Championship season, the 21-year-old said goodbye to the United faithful in style before returning to Premier League club Spurs this week.

Lankshear is up against Coventry City's Frank Onyeka, Ipswich Town's Kasey McAteer, and Charlton Athletic's Charlie Kelman for the monthly accolade.

After joining on loan last summer, the English centre forward gradually became a fan favourite at the Kassam Stadium due to his exemplary performances and attitude.

Lankshear was The Yellows' Golden Boot winner this season with 12 goals in all competitions whilst playing in a struggling side that were relegated to League One.

He also scooped up the Young Player of the Year award at Oxford's awards night in April.

The U's finished 22nd in the Championship and will play in League One next season.

Lankshear finished off a superb loan spell at relegated Oxford with a 47th appearance for the Championship side in Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Millwall.

While the 21-year-old was unable to keep Oxford up, the England Under-21 striker scored 12 goals and provided four assists during a successful season-long loan to catch the eye of numerous clubs in England and abroad, the Press Association understands.

Former Arsenal youngster Lankshear is due to return to Hotspur Way for end-of-season testing before a well-earned rest.

Any decision on Lankshear’s long-term future at Tottenham will not take place until there is clarity over which division the club will be in for the 2026-27 campaign, but there is optimism about his prospects under Roberto De Zerbi, PA understands.

Antonio Conte was the first Tottenham head coach to work with Lankshear after his arrival from Sheffield United in 2022 and gave him a debut in a friendly fixture with Nice after the winter World Cup.

However, Ange Postecoglou presented Lankshear with his breakthrough during the 2024-25 campaign and the all-action forward scored on an eventful night against Galatasaray in the Europa League where he silenced the Rams Park crowd before he earned an unfortunate second yellow card.

Lankshear then scored the first goal of the ill-fated Thomas Frank era at Spurs last July in a friendly at Reading before he was sent on loan to Oxford despite other Championship options.

A run of three goals in his first five matches quickly endeared Lankshear to the Oxford faithful alongside his wholehearted displays, but Gary Rowett was dismissed by the U’s in December.

Middlesbrough were one of several clubs eager to sign Lankshear in January, but the forward wanted to stay at Oxford to help in their relegation battle and quickly gained the trust of Matt Bloomfield.

After Lankshear produced a stunning brace against Sheffield Wednesday last month, Bloomfield said: “His finishing, dedication to his craft and single-minded desire to be the best he can be, I think he’s a credit to himself. There’s so much to admire about him and he’s going to go to the top.”

Lankshear has often drawn comparisons to Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer Harry Kane given his predatory finishing ability along with a similar route into the professional game after being rejected by Arsenal.

After Lankshear this season bettered Kane’s own goalscoring tally from Championship loans with Millwall and Leicester, the young forward will wait to discover whether he gets a chance at Spurs or if another summer move away will follow.

Donley was The U's first signing of the January transfer window, arriving from Premier League side Spurs on loan with an option to make the deal permanent.

The Northern Ireland international played 15 times for Matt Bloomfield's Yellows across the second half of the season after spending the first half on loan at Championship rivals Stoke City.

He scored once, in a 1-0 win over Blackburn in March, and assisted once during his time in OX4 and returns to Roberto De Zerbi's Lilywhites who are currently battling relegation.

Despite Donley returning to his parent club, Oxford's option to buy can still be triggered if they so wish.

However, the likelihood of the club doing so is lower following The U's relegation to League One.

The 21-year-old returns to North London alongside teammate Will Lankshear who was also on loan at the Kassam from Spurs.

In a post on X, the club said: "Everyone at the Club would like to thank Jamie Donley, who returns to Tottenham Hotspur after the end of his loan spell.

"Jamie scored at the Kassam during our 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

"Good luck for the future, Jamie!"

Lankshear joined The U's on loan last summer from Premier League outfit Spurs and has been an icon in OX4.

Winning the club's men's Golden Boot and Young Player of the Season awards, the 21-year-old's performances in yellow and exemplary attitude off the pitch have seen fans fall enamoured with the forward.

Lankshear played 47 times and scored 12 goals in all competitions for a struggling Yellows side which suffered relegation to League One.

The young goal scorer stayed on the pitch the longest after Oxford's final game of the season, saying an emotional goodbye to The U's fans.

In a statement on their social media channels, the club said: "We can confirm that Will Lankshear has returned to his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur.

"Will made 46 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals and earning our 2025/26 Golden Boot.

"A fantastic addition to the squad from the moment he arrived, Will embraced everything it means to represent Oxford United.

"Wishing you all the very best for the future, Will! You’ll always be a Yellow."

Lankshear returns to Spurs whose league status is still in the balance as they look to stave off relegation to the Championship in the late stages of the Premier League season.

Spurs are currently fighting for their lives in the Premier League and have a large injury list including forward players such as Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Dominic Solanke.

Currently in the relegation zone with the threat of Championship football next season a real possibility, fans of the London club have called for the early return of some of their players who are currently out on loan.

One of these names is The U's Will Lankshear who was named Men's Young Player of the Year and Men's Golden Boot winner at Oxford's awards evening on Sunday.

With 12 goals in all competitions for a struggling Yellows outfit, some Spurs have called for Lankshear to be recalled from OX4 now that their fate this campaign is decided - Matt Bloomfield's men were relegated to League One last weekend.

The Premier League confirmed to football.london that players cannot return and play for their parent clubs before the season ends.

Football.london stated: "Premier League loan players are essentially de-registered from the parent club and re-registered elsewhere and that cannot change back until the next registration period opens, which in this case would be the summer transfer window.

"The guidance is that other than the early recall of a goalkeeper in exceptional circumstances, no other player on a long-term loan - full or half season - will be permitted to return to their parent club outside of a transfer window and play first team football.

"So if a loan recall happens outside a window, the player may train but not be eligible for matches until the next registration period unless special exceptions exist."

Xavi said he was “heartbroken” in a social media post on Sunday night and Spurs have now said the midfielder will undergo surgery after being injured in the 1-0 Premier League win at Wolves.

“We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee,” Tottenham said on their official X account.

“The 23-year-old suffered the injury during the second half of our Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

“Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.

“Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends Xavi our love and support – we will be with him every step of the way.”

The Netherlands playmaker went down clutching his right knee in the 58th against Wolves, where Spurs claimed a league win for the first time in 2026.

After falling to the floor following a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, Xavi attempted to run off the injury but collapsed in front of Tottenham’s medical staff and subsequently left Molineux on a stretcher.

In an Instagram post, Xavi revealed he would not be fit enough to take part in Tottenham’s final four league matches or represent the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it,” the former Paris St Germain player said.

“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense.

“All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”

https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2048644780624678949

The absence of the £52million attacker is a significant blow to Tottenham and Roberto De Zerbi, who has already lost captain Cristian Romero and winger Mohammed Kudus to season-ending injuries during his first month at the club.

Xavi had endured a frustrating debut campaign in England, only showing flashes of his class under Thomas Frank before being bizarrely frozen out by Igor Tudor, but looked set for a key role with De Zerbi, especially after a wonder strike in a 2-2 home draw with Brighton.

Instead, Xavi can play no part in Spurs’ desperate efforts to overturn a two-point deficit to 17th-placed West Ham in order to avoid their first relegation in 49 years.

Xavi added: “It’ll take some time to find peace with this but I’ll continue to be the best team-mate I can be. I have no doubt that together we’ll win this fight.

“I’ll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me.”