Exclusive:'They need to' - Middlesbrough FC told how to best utilise ex-Tottenham Hotspur forward Will Lankshear
Danny Mills has assessed Middlesbrough’s signing of Will Lankshear from Tottenham Hotspur
Danny Mills has urged his former club Middlesbrough to ensure new signing Will Lankshear is provided with adequate service.
An initial fee of £10m has reportedly been paid for Lankshear, who could end up costing Middlesbrough £20m in total if add-on clauses are triggered. He has moved to the Riverside from Tottenham Hotspur, penning a five-year contract.
Lankshear was the chief marksman for Oxford United as a loanee last term, delivering 11 goals in a campaign that ended in relegation from the Championship.
Among his teammates at the Kassam Stadium was Mills’ son Stanley, so the former Middlesbrough defender has seen plenty of the young frontman.
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Danny Mills on Will Lankshear
“I saw Will Lankshear in pretty much every game last season at Oxford and watched him an awful lot during that spell,” he told The Yorkshire Post via talkSPORT Bet slots site. “He's a fantastic finisher and almost an old-fashioned centre-forward.
“His best work comes inside the penalty area and the 18-yard box. He is a very good finisher with a real eye for goal.
“He scored 11 goals in a struggling side last season. The biggest issue will be supply, so they need to get him into the right positions inside the penalty area.
“He's young and still has plenty of room for improvement, as all young players do, but if given the right opportunities, he can finish. That is what Middlesbrough will need to focus on.”
Sharpening up the Middlesbrough attack
Middlesbrough were blunt in attack at key stages of last season, therefore it has not been a focus to see Kim Hellberg’s squad strengthened with offensive recruits.
“It’s certainly a hefty fee that Middlesbrough have paid”, Mills said. “I know the club well, and they are a fantastic side that came very close last season.
“I suspect a lack of goals toward the end of the campaign is what ultimately stifled their promotion push, so they’ll be looking to address that. But they need to make sure they provide him with service inside the area because that is where his real strength lies.”