Tottenham Hotspur striker Will Lankshear has been named the Premier League 2 Player of the Season after a prolific campaign where he is set to finish as the competition's top scorer - and possibly win the title.
The 19-year-old has scored 21 goals in Premier League 2 (PL2), leaving him three clear of West Ham United's Callum Marshall, who has no matches left. He is the first Spurs player to win the award.
“I’m absolutely delighted to win Player of the Season!”, Lankshear told the club’s official website.
🎙️ “I’m absolutely delighted. It’s been a really good season and I’ve loved playing with my team-mates and loved playing under the staff – it’s really been a positive year for me and the team.”@WillLankshear reflects on his #PL2 Player of the Season award 🙌 pic.twitter.com/KBHEPzr5BW
— Tottenham Hotspur Academy (@Spurs_Academy) May 22, 2024
“It’s been a really good season and I’ve loved playing with my team-mates and loved playing under the staff – it’s really been a positive year for me and the team.
“At the start of the season, coming back from an injury I had from the previous campaign, I just wanted to have a full season and I didn’t quite expect all of this would be happening, but I’ve worked really hard, listened to what the coaches have told me and tried to do what they said and obviously it’s worked!
“I’m really proud of the goals that I’ve scored but it’s all come from the team really – they’ve been amazing and I’m just doing my job, which is to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Lankshear has spearheaded this season's title challenge, with Spurs finishing top of the PL2 table and winning their three playoff ties to reach Sunday's final.
In the last 16, Lankshear scored twice, including the extra-time winner, as Spurs beat Aston Villa 4-3. He then set up a goal in the quarter-finals as the north Londoners drew 3-3 with Liverpool and won the penalty shootout 5-4.
Last Sunday, in the semi-finals, Lankshear struck the opener in a 2-1 win over Chelsea, sending Spurs into this weekend's final against Sunderland at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Lankshear has been chosen as the PL2 Player of the Season by the Premier League Football Development Panel, topping an eight-man shortlist.
PL2 Player of the Season winners
2023/24: Will Lankshear (Spurs)
2022/23: Carlos Borges (Man City)
2021/22: James McAtee (Man City)
2020/21: Liam Delap (Man City)
2019/20: Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
2018/19: Aaron Connolly (Brighton)
2017/18: Reiss Nelson (Arsenal)
2016/17: Oliver McBurnie (Swansea)
