Roberto De Zerbi will assess ‘this’ star personally before making any decision on his future.
Roberto De Zerbi is set to personally assess Will Lankshear during pre-season training after the 21-year-old’s impressive loan spell at Oxford United, with Tottenham planning to bring the striker back to Hotspur Way before making any decisions about his long-term future, Football Insider sources have revealed.
Lankshear’s campaign at the Kassam Stadium has been nothing short of exceptional. Across 47 appearances for the Championship club, the Tottenham striker scored 12 goals and added four assists, earning both the Golden Boot and Young Player of the Year award at Oxford in recognition of a season that has significantly raised his profile and generated genuine interest from clubs at multiple levels of the English football pyramid.
Tottenham rejected January bids for Lankshear
Tottenham rejected approaches from Ipswich and Middlesbrough during the January transfer window, choosing instead to keep Lankshear settled at Oxford, where his development was clearly thriving. That decision has been vindicated comprehensively, but with his loan spell now concluded, the question of what comes next requires careful consideration from all parties.
De Zerbi’s desire to assess Lankshear personally before making any decision reflects the Italian’s broader approach to squad building, preferring to see players with his own eyes in training before drawing conclusions about their suitability for his system. For a striker who has spent the past season in the Championship, the step up to training alongside Premier League players will provide a meaningful indication of whether he is ready to make the jump.
Transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke outlined the situation clearly on Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast. He said:
“Lankshear’s very highly regarded at Tottenham, they feel that he’s got a real chance of making a breakthrough there as well. Obviously no decision will be taken on his long-term future until Tottenham have clarity on which division they’re going to be in for next season. He will go back to Tottenham for pre-season, and he’ll be hoping to impress Roberto De Zerbi when he will have a chance to show what he can do. But until Tottenham know where they’re going to be, there’ll be no decisions made on any players.”
The final point is the most significant one. Every decision Tottenham make this summer, whether regarding Lankshear, Vuskovic, Simons or any other member of the squad, hinges on the outcome of the final two Premier League fixtures. Chelsea away and Everton at home still stand between Spurs and the certainty of knowing which division they will occupy next season, and that uncertainty permeates every aspect of the club’s planning.
Leeds United and several Championship clubs remain interested in Lankshear should he become available, but Tottenham’s intention to give him a genuine pre-season opportunity suggests the club believes he has a future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Whether that future is realised in the Premier League or the Championship may ultimately be the defining factor in what happens next.