Tim Sherwood criticizes Tottenham’s decision to sell 21yo, arguing the academy striker deserved a first-team opportunity before leaving for Middlesbrough.
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood has launched a stinging critique of the club’s youth development policy following the summer departure of highly rated young striker Will Lankshear.
The 21-year-old forward was allowed to leave North London on a permanent basis to join Championship side Middlesbrough in July for an initial £10 million fee that could rise up to £20 million with performance-related add-ons.
The decision to sell Lankshear, who won the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award during Tottenham’s U21 title-winning campaign in 2023/24, has drawn increased scrutiny amid Tottenham’s ongoing offensive struggles under head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Sharing his thoughts on Lankshear’s departure via a post published by Gary Ward on X, Sherwood argued that Tottenham failed to offer the academy product a legitimate pathway into the first team despite his strong scoring record on loan.
Sherwood stated:
“I’m not saying he (Will Lankshear) was the answer, but I think he deserves an opportunity to suggest he might be. He never got that opportunity.“
“Spurs just look to go out and spend money and block up pathways of young kids. So he’s better off just going and getting a career somewhere else, and he’s doing very well.“
Flourishing Away from Hotspur Way
Sherwood’s comments come at a time when Lankshear is enjoying a prolific start to his career at Middlesbrough. Having scored 11 goals on loan at Oxford United during the 2025/26 campaign, the striker has hit the ground running at Riverside Stadium, scoring 6 goals in his first 8 appearances across all competitions for Boro.
His stellar club form earned him a call-up to the England Under-21 national squad, where he marked his debut with a goal during a 4-2 victory over Kazakhstan.
Tottenham’s decision to cash in on Lankshear looks increasingly questionable given their alarming start to the 2026/27 Premier League season. Spurs currently sit at the bottom of the table in 20th place with just two points from five matches, having struggled significantly to convert chances in the final third.
While Tottenham opted to spend heavily in recent transfer windows to bolster their frontline, Sherwood, who famously gave Harry Kane his first sustained run in the Spurs lineup back in 2014, believes the club’s modern recruitment strategy actively stifles homegrown talent in favor of expensive external signings. As Lankshear continues to flourish in the Championship, Tottenham’s inability to nurture and integrate their academy goalscorers remains a growing point of contention among supporters and pundits alike.
