Leaping high, six yards out, to nod in Tommy Conway’s cross from the left wing, Will Lankshear notched his ninth goal in 12 games for Middlesbrough.
It is that positioning, finishing and poacher’s instinct, earning Boro a 1-0 win against Wolves on Saturday, that has made Lankshear an instant hit at Riverside Stadium – and a cause of lament at Tottenham Hotspur.
Lankshear joined Boro from Spurs in the summer on a five-year contract in a deal that could rise to a club record buy of £20m.
Since then, he has scored as many goals in all competitions as Spurs’ combined team. His old side, despite snatching a draw at Manchester United a few hours after Lankshear’s latest winner, remain in the Premier League relegation zone while Boro sit in the Championship’s automatic promotion places.
Dominic Solanke’s last-minute goal at Old Trafford was the first league goal scored by a Tottenham forward in five months.
It is enough to make Spurs fans despair.
“A lot of fans are wondering why he was sold,” Ali Speechly, co-chair of the Women of the Lane supporters’ group, told BBC Sport.
“It was likely to do with money – his sell-on price is relatively high, so let’s cash in on him.
“I was definitely disappointed. Given how badly we have started this season, as a fan it feels like the wrong decision.”
Amid a multi-million pound summer splurge, Spurs allowed Lankshear to leave for an initial fee worth about £10m, with an additional £10m due in add-ons based on various clauses.
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