Tottenham forward Will Lankshear has reflected on his successful loan spell at Oxford United and has spoken about his plans for next season.
While the limelight may have been stolen by how well Luka Vuskovic and Mikey Moore have done out on loan at Hamburg and Rangers, respectively, another Spurs youngster also enjoyed an outstanding campaign in the EFL.
Lankshear was voted Oxford’s Young Player of the Year and won the club’s Golden Boot after finishing the campaign with 14 goals and four assists across all competitions.
The Spurs academy graduate cannot feature for the Lilywhites until next season, despite having returned to North London after the end of the Championship campaign.
Tottenham starlet Will Lankshear opens up on his dedication to Oxford
While Spurs are embroiled in a relegation battle themselves, so was the 21-year-old striker, whose goals ultimately were not enough to keep Oxford in the second tier.
Lankshear has become a hero among the Oxford fans for his heroics this season despite their relegation from the Championship, and he has now admitted that he always gave his 100 per cent for the shirt from day one.
Speaking about his spell at the Kassam Stadium, the Spurs academy graduate told BBC Radio Oxford: “People talk about loans and just being a loanee, but I didn’t feel like that.
“I felt like a signing, and I felt like I was there (permanently), I made such good relationships with all the contracted players, the physios, everyone at the club, so when everyone’s so good to me, I couldn’t not give my absolute all.
“Every single game I played, I wanted to give back. The fans were so good to me, and I absolutely loved playing in front of them. When you have that vibe, there was nothing else in my mind other than Oxford and helping that club stay up, nothing else.”
Lankshear expects a conversation with Spurs about his future
According to reports, the young Tottenham striker is attracting interest from Premier League clubs on the back of his outstanding performances in the Championship.
Lankshear admitted that he expects to soon have a conversation with Spurs about his next step, but insisted that he has no idea what the future holds for him.
When asked where he will be playing next season, the 21-year-old said: “The end of the season has just come, but I’m sure a conversation will be had. I’ll do whatever I get told to do.
“All I can focus on are the things I can control, like training hard and focusing on next season now. It’s been a long slog this year, and it’s been tough. The body is a bit tired, so now it’s just about recovering and looking forward.”