Will Lankshear breaks silence after Tottenham exit with emotional Instagram message | OneFootball

Will Lankshear has penned his farewell on Instagram as Spurs sell the young striker to Championship outfit Middlesbrough in a deal that could reach £20 million.

The 21-year-old forward, previously linked with a move away one year ago, called time on his stay in North London ahead of the upcoming campaign as he seeks guaranteed first-team minutes.

Will Lankshear shares heartfelt Tottenham goodbye on Instagram

Taking to social media to signal the end of his chapter in North London, Lankshear posted an emotional message to express his gratitude to the club’s staff, his teammates, and the fans.

Spurs officially confirmed earlier today that Middlesbrough have secured the striker on a five-year contract after beating competition from several Championship clubs and overseas sides.

The highly-rated attacker signed a five-year contract with Middlesbrough, who beat out stiff competition from a host of Championship rivals and overseas clubs.

Spurs will receive an initial £8m to £10m fixed fee, with performance-related add-ons potentially driving the total cost to £20m.

Tottenham have also protected themselves long-term by inserting a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights for any future bids.

Will Lankshear’s journey at Tottenham

Lankshear initially arrived at Tottenham’s academy from Sheffield United in August 2022 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.

The young forward 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.

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He spent time at West Bromwich Albion before joining Oxford United for the 2025/26 season, where he netted 12 goals in 47 total appearances and picked up Oxford’s Golden Boot and Young Player of the Year awards.

With first-team opportunities limited in Roberto De Zerbi’s senior squad, Lankshear now departs to spearhead Middlesbrough’s push for Premier League promotion.