Lankshear joined The U’s on loan last summer from Premier League outfit Spurs and has been an icon in OX4.

Winning the club’s men’s Golden Boot and Young Player of the Season awards, the 21-year-old’s performances in yellow and exemplary attitude off the pitch have seen fans fall enamoured with the forward.

Oxford United loanee Will Lankshear will return to parent club Spurs (Image: Oxford United)

Lankshear played 47 times and scored 12 goals in all competitions for a struggling Yellows side which suffered relegation to League One.

The young goal scorer stayed on the pitch the longest after Oxford’s final game of the season, saying an emotional goodbye to The U’s fans.

In a statement on their social media channels, the club said: “We can confirm that Will Lankshear has returned to his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur.

“Will made 46 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals and earning our 2025/26 Golden Boot.

We can confirm that Will Lankshear has returned to his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur.

Will made 46 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring 12 goals and earning our 2025/26 Golden Boot.

A fantastic addition to the squad from the moment he arrived, Will embraced… pic.twitter.com/LJyaNFTzUA

— Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial) May 6, 2026

“A fantastic addition to the squad from the moment he arrived, Will embraced everything it means to represent Oxford United.

“Wishing you all the very best for the future, Will! You’ll always be a Yellow.”

Lankshear returns to Spurs whose league status is still in the balance as they look to stave off relegation to the Championship in the late stages of the Premier League season.

Donley was The U’s first signing of the January transfer window, arriving from Premier League side Spurs on loan with an option to make the deal permanent.

The Northern Ireland international played 15 times for Matt Bloomfield’s Yellows across the second half of the season after spending the first half on loan at Championship rivals Stoke City.

He scored once, in a 1-0 win over Blackburn in March, and assisted once during his time in OX4 and returns to Roberto De Zerbi’s Lilywhites who are currently battling relegation.

Oxford United celebrate in win over Sheffield Wednesday (Image: Jason Dawson)

Despite Donley returning to his parent club, Oxford’s option to buy can still be triggered if they so wish.

However, the likelihood of the club doing so is lower following The U’s relegation to League One.

The 21-year-old returns to North London alongside teammate Will Lankshear who was also on loan at the Kassam from Spurs.

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In a post on X, the club said: “Everyone at the Club would like to thank Jamie Donley, who returns to Tottenham Hotspur after the end of his loan spell.

“Jamie scored at the Kassam during our 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

“Good luck for the future, Jamie!”

Recently-relegated Oxford bowed out of the Championship with a 2-0 defeat to Millwall on the final day after their League One status for next season was confirmed the week prior.

The club’s retained list is yet to be released following the season’s end with head coach Matt Bloomfield revealing that he does not expect a massive overhaul of the playing squad this summer.

(Image: Oxford United)

Above board, however, moves are apparently already happening as Football League World have that Scott Mitchell, The U’s head of recruitment, has agreed a deal to move up to Newcastle as part of their recruitment team amidst internal restructuring at the club.

Mitchell has been at the club since 2024 after joining from Wycombe Wanderers.

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He worked in the same role with the Chairboys as he has in OX4 and operated alongside Bloomfield for a time during his spell in Buckinghamshire.

Mitchell began his career as an academy coach for Ipswich Town and worked his way up the ranks with the Tractor Boys over the course of 12 years.

The former Ipswich coach has worked for The Yellows during three transfer windows in the Championship, seeing the club secure survival last season before their unfortunate relegation this campaign.