Exclusive: Tottenham endorsed for big Will Lankshear, Oxford United decision | OneFootball

The Spurs youngster is another physical forward to add to their collection.

Oxford United have added Tottenham Hotspur youngster Will Lankshear to their ranks ahead of the new campaign.

The arrival of the 20-year-old striker to the Kassam Stadium was confirmed on Tuesday, five days before the club's opening game of the season against Portsmouth.

Lankshear arrives in Oxfordshire with some EFL experience from a half-season-long spell with West Bromwich Albion in the previous campaign, but his opportunities were not plentiful and he didn't have the desired effect, scoring zero goals in 11 second-tier appearances.

Finding the back of the net is not something that the six-foot-two centre-forward has struggled much with in his early career. Two seasons ago, for Spurs' under-21s, he got on the scoresheet 23 times in as many games in the Premier League 2.

Oxford praised for making Tottenham Hotspur loan signing

Both he and the Oxford supporters will be hoping that this loan spell with the U's works out a bit better than his time at The Hawthorns. Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has reason to believe that they will be able to get the best out of the Tottenham prodigy.

He exclusively told Football League World: "I think it'll be a good fit for both Will Lankshear and Oxford.

"He's a little bit one of those number nines that are physical. There aren't that many of them left, really. But by going to Oxford, Spurs will know that they're going to be sending him to a manager in Gary Rowett who will know how to play to his strengths and get the best out of him.

"It didn't go particularly well at West Bromwich Albion in the second half of last season. He didn't get the game time that he would have hoped for, but I suspect, at Oxford United, he'll get plenty of game time."

Will Lankshear's frame suits Gary Rowett's striker requirements

Under Rowett, Lankshear won't be playing the type of glossy football that he would have been used to during his time with Spurs' youth team. His sides play in a very direct manner, not faffing about trying to play out from the back, or any of that modern Pep Guardiola nonsense.

Usually, this typical EFL style wouldn't suit loanees who have been brought up in top-level academies, constantly playing the ball along the floor. But Lankshear's height should give him a much better chance of succeeding with Oxford, as Goodman alluded to.

The Championship side have taken a clear approach to their recruitment of forwards this summer. Both the Tottenham loanee and Nik Prelec, who has moved to the Kassam Stadium on a loan deal from Cagliari, are listed as being six-foot-two. Expect a lot of headed goals by this Oxford team.