Tottenham may rue Lankshear sale as England U21s thrive

Why Tottenham may regret letting 21‑year‑old Will Lankshear go is now clearer than ever after the former Spurs striker helped England Under‑21s beat Kazakhstan at Molineux Stadium. The forward, who has scored six goals from eight league appearances, struck 21 minutes after coming off the bench to seal a 4‑2 win on 25 September 2026.

Tottenham’s striking shortage

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have struggled for goals this season, and the £20 million fee received for Lankshear does little to ease that pressure. With the club’s attack sputtering, the sale of a player who is second in the Golden Boot race could prove costly.

England U21 impact

Lee Carsley, England Under‑21 manager, praised Lankshear’s contribution, saying:

‘He’s had a strong week. The way he’s played at Middlesbrough, he’s definitely brought that confidence into the camp. You always wonder whether that’s transferrable, when you’re doing so well at a club, but he’s showed that tonight. His finish was outstanding. He’s shown a bit of character because I left him out of the squad for the first game against Kazakhstan (last September) and sometimes that goes one way or the other and he’s definitely found his game and we’re really happy.’

The striker’s goal, combined with a free‑kick winner from Manchester City loanee Max Alleyne, lifted England to three points and kept the Young Lions unbeaten in eight of nine qualifiers.

Manchester City academy influence

Three City academy graduates featured for Carsley’s side: Rico Lewis, Stephen Mfuni (on loan at Coventry City) and Max Alleyne (on loan at Birmingham City). Divin Mubama, on loan at Southampton, also added a serious goal threat. The trio impressed, with Lewis showing strength in attack, Mubama unlucky not to score, and Alleyne netting the decisive free‑kick at the hour mark.

England now need just a point against Slovakia next Friday to secure one of the 16 places that will compete in Albania and Serbia next year.

Additional concerns

The piece also flagged a fresh Chelsea injury concern, though no further details were supplied.

Carsley’s remaining worry stems from the two goals conceded to Kazakhstan, both arising from set‑pieces – a three‑minute corner volley by Artyom Litosh and a second set‑piece before half‑time – highlighting a defensive area that must improve before the final qualifying match.