Michael Owen urges England to consider Middlesbrough forward Will Lankshear
Michael Owen has called for England head coach Thomas Tuchel to actively monitor Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear, arguing that the 22-year-old’s impressive goalscoring form warrants inclusion in the senior national team conversation. In an exclusive interview with TEAMtalk, Owen highlighted a perceived shortage of available centre-forwards within the England setup, suggesting that the coaching staff should broaden their scouting network to include players performing at a high level in the Championship.
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International considerations amidst striker shortage
Owen’s suggestion is rooted in an assessment of the current England striker pipeline, which he characterizes as suffering from a “dearth of strikers.” Speaking to TEAMtalk, the former Liverpool and England forward noted that the tactical evolution of the modern game—moving away from traditional two-man strike partnerships—has limited the development of out-and-out centre-forwards. As a result, Owen believes the national setup must be proactive in identifying and evaluating talent capable of consistent goalscoring, regardless of the league in which they compete.
“You have to consider him and look at any striker like that,” Owen stated. “I think there is a dearth of strikers; we know the game has changed. We don’t see two strikers anymore, and squads are not really carrying four or five strikers like they used to, so it is inevitable we have that dearth of strikers. So anyone who shows that bit of potential like him, our eyes have got to be drawn toward him and have a look at them.” While an immediate senior call-up remains an ambitious target, football scouts often view the transition from academy football to becoming a focal point in the Championship as a critical period for assessing potential international credentials, often serving as a gateway to the Under-21 setup.
Statistical impact and development trajectory
Lankshear has enjoyed a productive start to life on Teesside, netting eight goals in his opening 10 matches for Middlesbrough. These figures have positioned him as a prolific forward currently operating outside the top flight, drawing attention not just for his volume of goals but for his tactical integration into the Middlesbrough system. His trajectory has been carefully managed over the past two seasons; he gained significant Championship experience during a loan spell at Oxford United during the 2025/26 campaign, where he recorded 12 goals in 46 appearances.
This progression represents a clear upward trend in his senior career. Having developed within the Tottenham Hotspur academy before moving to Teesside, Lankshear has benefited from consistent minutes in a physically demanding league. Observers note that his ability to adapt to different systems—from the development football played at Tottenham to the senior rigours of the Championship—suggests a maturity that England’s decision-makers are likely to value as they look to build depth behind Harry Kane.
Transfer contractual structure and market evaluation
The TransferNews database records that Lankshear joined Middlesbrough in July 2026 for a deal worth an initial £8m, with £12m in performance-related add-ons, potentially taking the total package to £20m. Middlesbrough secured the forward's signature after competing against interest from clubs such as Southampton, Wolves, and Sporting CP. Crucially, the agreement between the clubs includes a 20% sell-on clause and a matching rights clause, which grants Tottenham Hotspur the option to match any future bid Middlesbrough accepts for the player. This mechanism underscores the high regard in which the forward is held by his former club and provides Tottenham with a degree of protection should the 22-year-old’s valuation escalate further. If Lankshear were to receive an England call-up, the visibility of this matching rights clause would likely increase, potentially influencing future negotiations as Premier League clubs weigh the difficulty of extracting the player from Teesside. With the summer transfer window concluded, Lankshear now has the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign to solidify his status as a high-value asset before the next major window opens in January.
