Scott Chickelday admits that many people initially doubted the decision to let Will Lankshear leave Tottenham, but now those same skeptics are reconsidering, thinking they may have secured a bargain. The young striker’s start at Middlesbrough has certainly justified the club’s faith. Middlesbrough paid a fee that could ultimately rise to £20 million for the 21‑year‑old forward, and the investment has already paid dividends.
Lankshear announced his arrival with a spectacular volley against Wrexham in his Carabao Cup debut, then followed that up with a brace that turned around Boro’s opening Championship fixture versus Lincoln. Chickelday, the striker coach who has been working one‑on‑one with Lankshear for the past two years, is hardly surprised by the early impact.
Although he also coaches senior Premier League talent, he rates Lankshear as the most clinical finisher he has ever seen. "He possesses every type of finish you can imagine – the delicate flicks around the keeper, the simple tap‑ins, the powerful headers and the thunderous volleys. He truly is a complete No 9, and there are very few players like that in the game right now.
His finishing ability is astonishing. I tell people this and they laugh, but to me he is the closest thing I have ever seen to Harry Kane," Chickelday explains. The comparison to Kane is a bold one. Kane remains England’s all‑time leading scorer, a former European Golden Shoe winner and a proven Premier League goal‑machine.
Yet several observers see striking parallels in the way Lankshear’s career has unfolded, his mindset and his technical skill set. Like Kane, Lankshear’s early loan spells were a mixed bag.
A brief stint at West Brom ended without a single goal, but a subsequent loan to Oxford United proved far more instructive, even though the club suffered relegation from the Championship that season. Matt Bloomfield, who took over as Oxford’s head coach in January when the side were perched just above the bottom of the table, recalls Lankshear’s impact. "Will was a crucial addition for us.
He had been on loan before and it hadn’t really clicked, but at Oxford he finally got the chance to lead the line for a struggling side. He worked tirelessly, gave everything on the pitch, and that experience helped him grow enormously," Bloomfield told Sky Sports. Bloomfield added that the young striker needed to develop his hold‑up play and his ability to become a nuisance when the ball was cleared, given that Oxford often found themselves defending for long periods. In the context of a team that ultimately went down, Lankshear’s tally of 11 Championship goals last season was a bright spot.
"Scoring that many goals in a relegated side is impressive. It shows his quality even when the team is under pressure," Chickelday noted. Now at Middlesbrough, Lankshear finds himself in a very different environment. "Middlesbrough dominate possession far more than Oxford ever did, which creates far more chances for a striker of his type.
He was born to find the back of the net – he lives and breathes scoring," Bloomfield said. The recurring Kane comparison stems not only from technique but also from mindset.
"He’s a pleasant lad but there’s a sharp edge to him. He wants to succeed, and that single‑minded drive is something you see in every top player," Bloomfield observed. Bloomfield also highlighted Lankshear’s natural instinct paired with relentless practice.
"He has a massive innate sense for goal‑scoring, but you can also see the countless hours he puts in. It’s the same with Harry Kane – they’re both born finishers who work tirelessly on their craft," he said. Stories from his Oxford days illustrate his dedication.
After regular training sessions, Lankshear would linger on the pitch, continuing to finish shots long after his teammates had left. "He would stay out there practising finishing all day.
We had to pull him back into the changing rooms because he had a game the next morning and needed his legs," Bloomfield recalled. That work ethic has continued at Middlesbrough. Lankshear now regularly meets with Chickelday for extra one‑on‑one sessions.
"He doesn’t just arrive, complete the prescribed drills and leave. He gets to the training ground forty minutes early, does a thorough warm‑up, then spends an hour with me, followed by another 25‑30 minutes of running after the session.
That tells you everything about his mentality," Chickelday said. He often trains alongside his older brother Alex, who recently scored for Gateshead. The focus of these sessions is repetition of match‑like scenarios – headers, volleys, cut‑back finishes and a variety of other shooting drills. Chickelday pointed out a particular goal Lankshear scored for Oxford against Sheffield Wednesday in April: a classic Kane‑style strike where he cut inside from the left and curled the ball into the top corner.
"He likes to drift wide on the left and then cut inside, but whatever he can do with his right foot, he can mirror with his left. That ambidexterity makes him unpredictable for defenders," Chickelday explained.
His ruthlessness in front of goal, combined with an extraordinary shots‑on‑target ratio, sets him apart. In training, he rarely misses the target; while he may not score on every attempt, he consistently forces the goalkeeper into action. Bloomfield emphasized that talent alone is insufficient – dedication must match it. Lankshear’s ability to combine powerful runs to the near post with clinical finishes makes him a constant threat.
Statistically, among the 72 Championship players who recorded 50 or more shots last season, Lankshear ranked third for expected goals per shot, underscoring the high quality of his opportunities. Even at Oxford, his work ethic translated into a flood of quality chances. Beyond open‑play scoring, Chickelday believes Lankshear has the makings of a proficient free‑kick taker, hinting at another dimension to his game that could develop further.
Looking ahead, Chickelday is confident about the striker’s trajectory. "His mentality is clear – he wants to be the best, the No 1 striker in England, and eventually the best in the world.
In two years’ time I wouldn’t be shocked if he is seen as Kane’s successor," he said. He stopped short of discussing potential transfer moves, noting that Middlesbrough would likely be displeased with speculation.
"He’s only been here a short while, but I think he’s two steps away from becoming a £100 million striker if he continues to develop. I truly believe he will," Chickelday added. For now, the immediate goal is to help Middlesbrough secure promotion to the Premier League.
Those who have worked with Lankshear are convinced that his ascent to the top is inevitable. "I have absolutely no doubt about that," Bloomfield concluded.
"Will is destined for the very top of the game."