Will Lankshear has made a spectacular start to his tenure at Middlesbrough, prompting many to wonder whether Tottenham have just sold the next Harry Kane. Scott Chickelday, the striker’s specialist coach, told Sky Sports that many observers initially doubted the youngster’s potential, but after seeing his early performances they are now reconsidering their verdict.
"A lot of people questioned it," Chickelday said. "Those same people are now looking at it and thinking, hang on, we might have got a bit of a bargain here." Middlesbrough paid a fee that could climb to £20 million to secure Lankshear from Tottenham, and the investment has already begun to pay dividends. The 21‑year‑old made an instant impact by netting a spectacular volley against Wrexham on his Carabao Cup debut, and followed that up with a brace that turned around Middlesbrough’s opening Championship fixture against Lincoln City. Chickelday, who has been working one‑on‑one with Lankshear for the past two years, is hardly surprised by the striker’s rapid adaptation.
Although he also coaches established Premier League forwards, he rates Lankshear as the most lethal finisher among them. "He has got all the finishes in the book," Chickelday explained.
"He has the little flicks around the corner, tap‑ins, headers, volleys – an all‑round No 9, and there aren’t many players like that at the moment. His finishing is incredible. I tell people and they laugh at me, but this boy is the closest thing I have seen to Harry Kane." Comparing a 21‑year‑old prospect to a player who holds the record for goals scored for England and recently won the European Golden Shoe is a bold claim, yet several observers see striking parallels in their paths, playing styles, and mentalities.
Like Kane, Lankshear’s loan spells away from Tottenham have been a mixed bag. A short stint at West Brom failed to produce a goal, but a subsequent loan to Oxford United, despite the club’s eventual relegation from the Championship, proved pivotal for his personal development. Matt Bloomfield, who took over as Oxford’s head coach in January when the team hovered just above the bottom of the table, recalled Lankshear’s impact.
"Oxford was a big step for Will. He had gone out on loan before and it had not quite worked out," Bloomfield told Sky Sports.
"He worked incredibly hard for us, left everything out on the pitch. The experience improved him." Bloomfield noted that with limited senior experience, Lankshear needed guidance on positioning, hold‑up play, and becoming a nuisance for the opposition when the ball was cleared. Lankshear’s tally of 11 Championship goals last season was a bright spot in a struggling Oxford side, and Chickelday praised the output.
"In a team that got relegated, that is some going," he said. "It is tough when you are down there." At Middlesbrough, Lankshear will enjoy a more dominant environment. Bloomfield believes the Boro style – a team that likes to dominate possession – will create even more opportunities for the young forward. "He is born to score goals.
He is obsessed. All he wants to do is train and score," Bloomfield added.
The comparison to Kane resurfaces when discussing Lankshear’s laser‑focused mindset. Both players share a single‑minded drive to maximise their abilities. "He is a lovely lad but he has got an edge to him," Chickelday observed. "He wants to be successful.
All the top players are single‑minded and driven." Bloomfield echoed this sentiment, noting that natural instinct is amplified by relentless practice. "He has a massive natural instinct but you can see the hours of practice too. It is the same with Harry Kane and his goals. These guys are born goal‑scorers but they also work incredibly hard at their craft." Lankspear’s dedication was evident during his time at Oxford.
After training sessions, he would stay on the pitch to continue finishing drills, often forcing the coaching staff to pull him back to preserve his legs for the next day’s match. This work ethic has continued at Middlesbrough, where he regularly arrives 40 minutes before scheduled sessions, completes a warm‑up, then spends an extra hour with Chickelday, followed by another 25‑30 minutes of post‑session running. "He does not just turn up, do a session and go.
He will get there early, do a warm‑up and then do the hour with me. Then they will stay for another 25 to 30 minutes doing running after the session.
That shows you his mentality," Chickelday said. Lankshear often trains alongside his older brother Alex, who recently scored for Gateshead, but the focus remains on a wide array of finishing scenarios: headers, volleys, cut‑back finishes, and long‑range shots. Chickelday highlighted a particular goal Lankshear scored for Oxford against Sheffield Wednesday – a classic Kane‑style strike where he cut inside from the left and curled the ball into the top corner. "It was the typical Kane finish," Chickelday remarked.
Versatility is another hallmark of Lankshear’s game. He is comfortable drifting wide on the left and cutting inside, and he can finish equally well with either foot, making him unpredictable for defenders. His ruthlessness in front of goal, combined with an impressive shots‑on‑target ratio, sets him apart. In training, he rarely misses the target, and while he may not score on every attempt, he consistently forces goalkeepers into difficult positions.
Statistically, Lankshear’s efficiency is striking. Among the 72 Championship players who recorded 50 or more shots last season, he ranked third in expected goals per shot. Even during his loan spell at Oxford, he generated high‑quality chances thanks to his diligent preparation. Beyond open‑play finishing, Chickelday believes Lankshear has untapped potential as a free‑kick specialist.
"He never gets to take them but he is a really good free‑kick taker," he noted, adding that moments in training sometimes feel extraordinary, hinting at a bright future. When asked about his ambitions, Lankshear is unapologetically ambitious. "It is his mentality.
He wants to be the best. He wants to be the No 1 striker in England, and then obviously he wants to be the No 1 in the world too," Chickelday said. He even suggested that within two years Lankshear could be positioned as Harry Kane’s successor. While speculation about future transfers is premature – Bloomfield warned that Middlesbrough would not appreciate such rumors – both coach and mentor agree that Lankshear is only a few steps away from a £100 million valuation if his development continues at this pace.
"He is two moves away from being a £100m striker if he keeps developing and doing well – and I think he will," Chickelday asserted. For now, the immediate goal is to help Middlesbrough achieve promotion to the Premier League.
Those who have worked closely with Lankshear are confident that his trajectory points straight toward the top tier. "I have absolutely no doubt about that," Bloomfield concluded. "Will is going to the very top."