"A lot of fans are wondering why he was sold," Ali Speechly, quoted by bbc.co.uk, said of Will Lankshear. Right now, it is hard to argue with the mood around Tottenham. Lankshear has scored 9 goals in 12 games for Middlesbrough, while Spurs have opened the league season in 18th place with 3 points from 6 matches and a goal difference of -6.
That alone would get supporters talking. The lack of goals at Tottenham has turned it into a proper regret story.
Tottenham's scoring problem
Spurs have scored only 3 league goals so far. Dominic Solanke's late goal at Old Trafford was Tottenham's first league goal scored by a Tottenham forward in five months, which tells you how bleak this start has been in front of goal.
Speechly, also speaking to bbc.co.uk, said: "I was definitely disappointed. Given how badly we have started this season, as a fan it feels like the wrong decision."
That view is pretty easy to understand. When a club is stuck in the relegation zone after six matches, every lost attacking option gets revisited. Lankshear's form means this one is not just academy nostalgia or fans overrating a young striker they barely saw. He is producing straight away in senior football.
The wider team form has only fed that feeling. Tottenham have taken 3 points from 6 league matches, scored 3 and conceded 9. Middlesbrough, by contrast, beat Wolves 1-0 on Saturday, with Lankshear's start still one of the obvious positives around the club.
The move makes sense for Lankshear, less so for Spurs
Paul Robinson's point on bbc.co.uk is fair from the player's side. "If you are a young kid at a club where you are not getting any first-team football and you get the opportunity to go and play men's football, you should go," he said.
That part is difficult to dispute. Robinson added: "Getting first-team football is the best grounding you can get for a young footballer, getting the opportunity to play in the first team, regardless of what league it is. Will has been given this opportunity, and he is taking it."
He clearly is. Beyond the headline return of 9 goals in 12 games, Lankshear has also scored 1 goal in 1 League Cup appearance for Middlesbrough. He has done that in 80 minutes, and posted a 7.5 rating.
The part Spurs fans will struggle with is not whether the move suited the player. It is whether Tottenham let him go too soon when the senior side had so little punch. There may have been financial logic to the sale, and the reported deal does give Spurs some cover. They agreed an initial fee of about £10m, with another £10m in add-ons, while keeping first refusal and 20% of any future profit.
That is not the same as a guaranteed buy-back clause, even if some supporters may talk about it that way. It gives Tottenham a degree of control, but it does not change the immediate optics.
Lankshear's rise at Middlesbrough is still early, and Spurs would be right not to judge every academy exit on a dozen games. But with Tottenham sitting 18th and short of goals, this is already one of those sales fans will keep bringing up until the attack starts working.
FAQ
Why are Tottenham fans regretting the Will Lankshear sale?
The regret comes from the contrast. Will Lankshear has scored 9 goals in 12 games for Middlesbrough, while Tottenham have made a miserable start to the league season. Spurs are 18th with 3 points from 6 matches, a goal difference of -6 and only 3 league goals. That has made the decision to sell him look much worse to supporters.
How bad has Tottenham's attack been since selling Will Lankshear?
Tottenham have scored only 3 league goals in their first 6 matches. One detail has driven the debate harder: Dominic Solanke's late goal at Old Trafford was Tottenham's first league goal scored by a Tottenham forward in five months. In that context, Lankshear's scoring run at Middlesbrough has become an obvious point of frustration.
Do Tottenham have a buy-back clause for Will Lankshear?
Not as a guaranteed buy-back. The reported terms say Tottenham agreed an initial fee of about £10m, with another £10m in add-ons, and kept first refusal plus 20% of any future profit. That gives Spurs some protection, but it is not the same as a mandatory buy-back clause.
Is Will Lankshear already proving himself at Middlesbrough?
Yes, quickly. The main headline is 9 goals in 12 games, and he has also scored 1 goal in 1 League Cup appearance for Middlesbrough. That cup contribution came in 80 minutes, with a 7.5 rating. It is an early return, but enough to show the move has started well for him.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
