Amid the flurry of signings Tottenham made in the summer one move went under the radar somewhat and that was the arrival of 17-year-old Will Lankshear from Sheffield United.
For a teenager yet to play a senior game, he was brought in for a relatively substantial fee that could rise to £2.5m, with the Sheffield club having inserted a sell-on clause in the deal due to their belief in Lankshear's potential. Released by Arsenal in early 2021, United snapped him up quickly and the 6ft 1 ins striker responded with a remarkable 40 goals, including five hat-tricks and seven braces, from 35 starts and 15 substitute appearances across the U23 and U18 sides.
He captained the Blades' U18s as they swept to the Professional Development League national title with an unbeaten season. Lankshear's impressive 18 months at Sheffield United coincided with Spurs' need for a new academy striker to bolster the ranks and changes behind the scenes with the club's recruitment set-up.
