Striker Will Lankshear says he felt like more than just a loan player during his time with Oxford United.
The 21-year-old from Tottenham Hotspur scored 12 goals and registered four assists in 47 appearances, emerging as one of the U’s standout players in a season where they were relegated from the Championship.
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He ended the campaign as Oxford’s top scorer and finished the season strong with eight goal contributions in their final 12 matches.
“People talk about loans and just being a loanee, but I didn’t feel like that,” Lankshear told BBC Radio Oxford.
“I felt like a signing and I felt like I was there (permanently), I made such good relationships with all the contracted players, the physios, everyone at the club, so when everyone’s so good to me I couldn’t not give my absolute all.
“Every single game I played I wanted to give back, the fans were so good to me, and I absolutely loved playing in front of them.
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“When you have that vibe, there was nothing else in my mind other than Oxford and helping that club stay up, nothing else.”
Lankshear joined Tottenham’s academy in 2022 and previously spent time on loan at West Bromwich Albion where he played 11 times.
He has made six appearances for Spurs, scoring one goal that came in a Europa League match against Galatasaray.
Following the success of his first full season on loan and his stock at an all-time high, the striker admitted that he was unsure as to what might come next for him.
“The end of the season has just come but I’m sure a conversation will be had,” he added.
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“I’ll do whatever I get told to do and all I can focus on are the things I can control like training hard and focusing on next season now.
“It’s been a long slog this year and it’s been tough, the body is a bit tired so now it’s just about recovering and looking forward.”
Lankshear turned down chance to move elsewhere
Lankshear’s start and end to the season were the most productive moments of his campaign in the yellow of Oxford.
The striker had playing minutes reduced at the back end of 2025, scoring five goals before the turn of the year.
When the January window came around and some clubs were recalling loan players to send them out to other teams, Lankshear revealed that he rejected the chance to move elsewhere.
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He then managed to fight his way back into the starting side before personally ending the season well and keeping Oxford’s survival hopes alive for so long.
“There was a possibility of me going but I said that I wanted to stay at Oxford,” Lankshear said.
“The club had been great to me and were giving me great playing time so I didn’t feel it was necessary to move.
“I’m very happy I made the right decision and the second half of the season was better than the first for me.
“There wasn’t a better place for me at that time and I genuinely believed that.”
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