Will Lankshear has burst onto the scene at Middlesbrough with a start that has left many observers questioning whether Tottenham have just sold the next Harry Kane. The 21‑year‑old striker arrived at the Riverside Stadium for a fee that could climb to £20 million, and he has already repaid the outlay with a volleyed winner against Wrexham on his Carabao Cup debut and a two‑goal haul that rescued Boro from a shaky opening day defeat to Lincoln in the Championship. Scott Chickelday, the striker’s personal finishing coach, told Sky Sports that the reaction to Lankshear’s early impact had been mixed.
"A lot of people questioned it," he said, "but now those same people are thinking, maybe we got a bargain." Chickelday has worked one‑on‑one with Lankshear for the past two years, helping him hone the kind of finishing that separates good forwards from great ones. In his view, the young forward possesses "all the finishes in the book" – from delicate flick‑ins and powerful volleys to well‑timed headers. He even went so far as to call Lankshear "the closest thing I have seen to Harry Kane" in terms of natural finishing ability. The comparison to Kane is a bold one.
Kane, the all‑time leading scorer for England and a former European Golden Shoe winner, is a benchmark that few young strikers can realistically meet. Yet several parallels are emerging between the two careers.
Both players have endured loan spells that did not immediately bear fruit – Lankshear’s stint at West Brom ended without a goal – but they also demonstrated resilience and a capacity to grow from setbacks. His time at Oxford United, although coinciding with the club’s relegation from the Championship, proved pivotal for his personal development. Matt Bloomfield, who took charge of Oxford in January when the team were hovering just above the bottom of the table, recalled how Lankshear arrived with a hunger to prove himself.
"He worked incredibly hard for us, left everything out on the pitch," Bloomfield said. The experience forced the striker to adapt to a side that often found itself defending, sharpening his hold‑up play, positioning, and ability to be a nuisance when the ball was cleared.
"With very limited senior football behind him, he just needed help to round his game off," Bloomfield added. Lankshear’s output of 11 goals in the Championship last season was impressive given the circumstances. "In a team that got relegated, that is some going," Chickelday noted.
At Middlesbrough, where the club enjoys greater possession and creates more chances, the striker’s potential can be fully displayed. Bloomfield believes the new environment will suit Lankshear perfectly: "Middlesbrough will dominate the ball and that will suit him even more with the opportunities that they create. He is born to score goals.
He is obsessed. All he wants to do is train and score." The laser‑like focus that both Kane and Lankshear exhibit is a recurring theme in the commentary from those who have worked with him. Chickelday describes the striker as a "lovely lad" with an "edge" – a relentless drive to succeed that mirrors the single‑mindedness of elite players. Bloomfield agrees, pointing out that while Lankshear possesses a massive natural instinct, his success is also the product of countless hours of deliberate practice.
"It is the same with Harry Kane and his goals. It is not just natural instinct. These guys are born goal‑scorers but they also work so incredibly hard at their craft," he said. The work ethic is evident in Lankshear’s training habits.
After regular sessions, he often stays on the pitch to continue finishing drills, sometimes arriving 40 minutes early to warm up, then spending an extra hour with Chickelday, followed by another 25‑30 minutes of running. This dedication extends to his brother Alex, who also joins the sessions. The drills focus on repetition of match scenarios – headers, volleys, cut‑back finishes, and a variety of shooting techniques. One memorable moment highlighted by Chickelday was Lankshear’s long‑range strike for Oxford against Sheffield Wednesday, a classic Kane‑style effort where he cut inside and curled the ball into the top corner.
Lankshear’s versatility adds another layer to his threat. He is comfortable drifting out wide on the left and cutting back onto his stronger foot, yet he can finish equally well with either foot, making him unpredictable for defenders. His ruthlessness in front of goal is reflected in his impressive shots‑on‑target ratio; in the Championship last season, he ranked third for expected goals per shot among the 72 players who attempted 50 or more shots. Even when not scoring, he creates space, makes intelligent near‑post runs, and capitalises on defensive errors.
Beyond open‑play finishing, Chickelday believes Lankshear has untapped potential as a set‑piece specialist. "He never gets to take them but he is a really good free‑kick taker," he said, hinting at another dimension to the striker’s game that could be developed at Middlesbrough. Looking ahead, both coaches are confident that Lankshear’s ambition matches his ability. Chickelday envisions a future where the young forward could be the successor to Kane at both club and international level.
"He wants to be the No 1 striker in England, and then obviously he wants to be the No 1 in the world too. I would not be surprised in two years' time if he is Harry Kane's replacement," he declared. Financially, the projection is equally striking. While Lankshear has only been at Middlesbrough a handful of minutes, Chickelday predicts that with continued development he could be just two transfers away from a £100 million valuation.
Bloomfield echoed this optimism, stating that he has "absolutely no doubt" that Lankshear is destined for the top of the game. For now, the immediate goal is to help Middlesbrough secure promotion back to the Premier League. The consensus among those who know him is that the striker’s trajectory is unmistakably upward.
As Bloomfield summed up, "Will is going to the very top."