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Tottenham may already have seller's remorse about one summer departure

Spurs have sold several youngsters for impressive fees this summer.
Will Lankshear is off the mark for Boro.
Will Lankshear is off the mark for Boro. | Richard Sellers - PA Images/GettyImages

Well, it certainly didn't take long for Will Lankshear to hit the ground running at Middlesbrough.

After completing his move to the Riverside, which could be worth as much as £20m if add-ons are met, the striker scored on debut as Boro bypassed Championship rivals Wrexham in Round One of the Carabao Cup.

And it was some finish too; an acrobatic effort with his right foot. Clever movement to peel off Wrexham's retreating defenders ensured he was in ample space to execute the technique, too.

There's a lot of pressure on Lankshear this season, signing for that sort of money. Many felt that Boro missed out on automatic promotion last term because of their inability to convert chances, which is why they're all in on the former Tottenham man.

The 21-year-old scored 12 times for a relegated Oxford United team, and many expect his goal tally to drastically increase with superior talent around him.


No, Tottenham should not regret selling Will Lankshear

Predictably, one Spurs aggregator account asked if Lankshear was "worth keeping" after his debut goal.

Now, I know these require engagement to survive, so I won't take it too seriously. Still, I'll answer it for them: absolutely not.

The club is yet to make a single attacking addition this summer, but Lankshear, even without a new centre-forward joining the club, would've been third-choice striker at best, competing with Dane Scarlett for a role.

Middlesbrough, ultimately, proposed an offer we simply couldn't refuse. You'd be lying if you truly believed the young striker was capable of making the grade in N17 in short order. He may develop into a Premier League centre-forward, but for now, Lankshear is at the level where he should thrive, and we should all hope that he plays an instrumental role in getting Boro back up to the top flight.

Remember, we'll be entitled to 20% of future profit if/when Boro sell the 21-year-old. It was an excellent deal from our perspective, and we can't get hung up on the idea that he's the next Harry Kane who slipped through our fingers.

Maybe another loan would've been ideal, but as I've said, Boro's offer couldn't be turned down. If worst comes to worst, we could always buy the striker back. We do have matching rights after all.

If there's anyone who fancies double screening next Saturday, you might want to pair Spurs' friendly against Hoffenheim with Middlesbrough's first Championship game of the season against Lincoln City.

Will Lankshear vs. Mason Melia.


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