Tottenham have struggled to score goals in the Premier League this season.
Liverpool sent Tottenham Hotspur crashing out of the EFL Cup with a 3-1 victory at Anfield on Tuesday night.
Spurs created many good opportunities in the final third but lacked clinical finishing. Also, credit goes to Liverpool’s second goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili for making a couple of top saves in both halves. The North London club’s only goal on the night came from a set-piece, with Conor Gallagher heading home from close range after Mamardashvili’s error in judgement.
In the Premier League, Roberto De Zerbi’s side are still waiting for their first goal after four matches, having recorded two goalless draws following defeats in their opening two fixtures. Omar Marmoush, Savio, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus all featured against Everton last time out, but couldn’t find the net.
Roberto De Zerbi has no regrets over letting go of Will Lankshear
At a time when Spurs are struggling to find goals, some of the club’s summer transfer decisions will remain under scrutiny. The North Londoners sold Will Lankshear to Middlesbrough in July for £10million with another £10million in add-ons. Middlesbrough secured the young Englishman’s services on a five-year contract after beating competition from several Championship rivals and foreign clubs.
The move has already paid rich dividends, with Lankshear bagging six goals in seven Championship appearances. He also bagged two goals in three appearances in the Carabao Cup, before Crystal Palace eliminated Middlesbrough last week.
Asked whether he has regrets over selling Lankshear in the summer, De Zerbi said in his press conference (h/t Football London):
“No, I think no [regrets]. Solanke is a good player, Marmoush is another good player, and then there was the Richarlison situation which changed in the last five days without my decision. Three strikers, how many strikers do you want in the squad? Three strikers, I think, are enough. To answer about the player in Middlesbrough, no.”
Tottenham have a sell-on clause and matching rights
Lankshear arrived at Tottenham for around £2million from Sheffield United in 2022. He quickly established himself as one of the club’s brightest prospects, finishing as the top scorer during the Under-21s’ Premier League 2 title-winning 2023/24 campaign and bagging the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award.
After loan spells with West Brom and Oxford United, the 21-year-old wanted regular minutes to continue his development. It wouldn’t have made sense at all to sit and get sporadic game time at White Hart Lane, and after investing in Premier League-proven attackers, Spurs had a decision to make on Lankshear’s future.
They decided to sell the former England under-20 international; however, the Lilywhites hold ‘matching rights’ on Lankshear in the future, along with a sell-on clause, which could make a return to N17 easier to arrange if they decide to bring him back.
