Exclusive: Tottenham loanee rejected Middlesbrough move in January to stay at relegation battlers
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(Credit: Imago) Wed 11 March 2026 17:48, UK Tottenham Hotspur starlet Will Lankshear had offers from Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town in the January transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.The England U21 striker was a target for Boro and Ipswich in the winter window, but ultimately opted to continue his loan spell with Oxford after impressing for them in the first half of the season.Boro had lined up a loan-to-buy deal worth in the region of £15million for the 20-year-old, dependent on them winning promotion to the Premier League, while Ipswich were also keen on the forward.Tottenham’s transfer plans have taken a long-term focus in recent years, and they came to a joint decision with Lankshear that his development was better served by seeing out his time with Oxford.Credit: Imago ✈️ Tottenham Hotspur Transfer News ✈️ Breaking news on deals in progress, signings, departures, and contract news from the Spurs boardroom. VISIT THE TRANSFER HUBTottenham expect Will Lankshear to follow in Mikey Moore’s footstepsTottenham are understood to be happy with Lankshear’s progress during his latest loan spell, and they have high hopes for the player to come back and battle for a first-team spot next season.
Lankshear is understood to be enjoying his time at Oxford, and he has flourished with the Kassam Stadium outfit so far this term, scoring nine goals in all competitions. He has netted in back-to-back victories for the U’s in recent weeks, and decided to stay loyal to his current loan club due to his desire to spearhead their fight for Championship survival.
Will Lankshear grabbed his eighth goal of a very productive loan at #OUFC on Saturday.U’s Matt Bloomfield: "I think Will's going to the top – he's brilliant, he's rounding off his game and he's a goalscorer." pic.twitter.com/Ewj3ohyXIS— George Sessions (@GeorgeSessions) March 1, 2026 View Tweet Matt Bloomfield’s side are now just three points away from safety after their pair of recent victories, and Lankshear will continue to play a key role as the team’s top scorer. The Scottish businessman suggested that several of the club’s key first-team players will move on if they go down, while they will also have to cut wage costs significantly amid a striking reduction in revenue.