Tottenham have made their position clear on Will Lankshear. Three fresh approaches, from Sporting, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, have been rejected, and that tells you plenty. Clubs do not come forward with serious interest in a 21-year-old striker unless they think there is either immediate value or a bigger return down the line. Right now, Spurs appear to believe both apply.
According to Football London, the interested sides explored deals in the "eight-figure package range" and those proposals included either a permanent move or "a loan move with an obligation to buy". Tottenham said no across the board. That is a strong signal, and a sensible one.
Lankshear's stock has risen properly over the past year. During his first loan spell at Oxford United, he scored 12 goals in a struggling side, won their men's golden boot and collected the Young Player of the Year award. He also finished the campaign with 47 matches and 16 goal involvements. For a young striker in a relegated Championship team, those are not inflated numbers. They are hard-earned numbers.
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That matters because context matters. A forward scoring in a dominant side is one thing. A forward producing while his team is fighting the tide every week tells you more about resilience, movement and mentality. Tottenham already had reason to rate him after he "scored in the Europa League and made three Premier League appearances". Now they have more evidence.
The next step is straightforward in theory, harder in practice. Lankshear has "returned to pre-season work at Hotspur Way, bulked up by the physical demands of the Championship". De Zerbi will now assess him at close range before the summer tour to New Zealand and Australia. That line from the report, "a decision may be made on what comes next for him before the club's summer tour", is the key one.
The complication is squad planning. "The Italian is expected to want to bring in a new senior forward this summer", while " Richarlison 's future" remains uncertain in the final year of his contract. If Spurs recruit up front, Lankshear's immediate pathway narrows. If Richarlison leaves, the picture changes quickly. Then there is Mason Melia, because Lankshear's future "could then in turn have its own knock-on effect" on the younger striker's development plan.
Tottenham are doing the right thing by resisting the rush. Homegrown forwards with upward value are not assets you move on lightly, particularly when it "would take a sizeable fee for Spurs to consider selling homegrown Lankshear this summer". That is common sense, not sentiment.
From a Tottenham fan's perspective, this is exactly what you want to hear. For too long, clubs in England have been too quick to cash in on young talent the moment the first respectable offer lands. Spurs refusing three approaches for Lankshear suggests there is finally some discipline about squad building.
The encouraging part is that this is not hype without substance. Lankshear has gone out, played real men's football, dealt with the Championship's physical side, and delivered numbers in a poor team. That is a proper test. If he had scored 12 in a strong side, people would still ask questions. Doing it for a relegated team gives the story more weight.
There is also no need for Tottenham to panic and sell. If De Zerbi likes what he sees in training, Spurs have a young striker who can either contribute this season or become even more valuable in 12 months. If De Zerbi decides he needs another loan, Tottenham can still choose the right environment rather than accept a deal that mainly benefits someone else.
Supporters should be pleased because the club seem to be acting like a club with a plan. Rejecting Sporting, Wolves and Southampton is not arrogance. It is patience. And if Lankshear really is as highly regarded as this report suggests, patience is probably the smartest move Tottenham can make.
Source: Football London
