Middlesbrough's hopes of retaining star striker Will Lankshear are directly tied to their promotion push, with Newcastle United monitoring the prolific forward. The 21-year-old, who joined from Tottenham in the summer, has scored 13 goals in his first 13 Championship games for the club.
His immediate impact has seen his market value triple to around £30 million. Newcastle United are exploring a potential deal, though a move in the January window is considered unlikely. Middlesbrough have no intention of selling him mid-season, and the player is under a long-term contract at the Riverside until 2031.
However, it will be very difficult to keep Lankshear beyond next summer if the club fails to win promotion to the Premier League. His form has already drawn attention from leading top-flight clubs and the England setup.
Manager Matthias Jaissle's side have struggled for goals recently, failing to score in their last two matches. The team's reliance on Lankshear's finishing has been highlighted during this spell. Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness commented on the wider situation at Newcastle. "The 'writing' is slowly being put on the wall for Matthias Jaissle's exit at the moment," Wyness said. He added that Newcastle are likely to sack Jaissle if they are out of the running for Champions League qualification by Christmas.
Middlesbrough's focus remains on their next Championship fixture at home to Bristol City on 21 November. The club's stance is that Lankshear is not for sale, but the ultimate decision may be dictated by which division they are in next season.
More detail at Football Insider
