Will Lankshear has bid farewell to Tottenham Hotspur after the club sold the 21-year-old striker to Championship outfit Middlesbrough in a deal reportedly worth up to £20 million.
The highly-rated forward had been linked with a move away from North London a year ago but has now chosen to depart in search of guaranteed first-team minutes.
Lankshear took to social media to express his gratitude to the club's staff, teammates, and fans, posting an emotional message to signal the end of his chapter in North London.
“After 4 incredible seasons at Tottenham, my time has come to an end. I’d like to thank all the staff, players and fans for making my time so enjoyable and helping me along the journey. Tottenham will always be engraved in my heart. Thank you”
Middlesbrough have secured Lankshear on a five-year contract, beating out stiff competition from several Championship clubs and overseas sides.
The initial fee for Lankshear's transfer is reported to be £8-10 million, with performance-related add-ons potentially driving the total cost to £20 million.
Tottenham have also protected themselves long-term by inserting a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights for any future bids.
Lankshear initially joined Tottenham's academy from Sheffield United in August 2022, signing a five-year contract for around £2 million.
He quickly established himself as one of the club's brightest prospect developments, finishing as the top scorer during the Under-21s' Premier League 2 title-winning 2023/24 campaign and claiming the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award.
Lankshear made his senior competitive debut in October 2024 against Ferencváros in the UEFA Europa League, subsequently scoring his first senior goal for Spurs against Galatasaray a month later.
To build first-team experience, Lankshear enjoyed productive loan spells in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion and Oxford United, where he netted 12 goals in 47 appearances and picked up Oxford's Golden Boot and Young Player of the Year awards.
