Thomas Tuchel will announce his England squad for UEFA Nations League meetings with Croatia and Spain on Friday. The usual big hitters are expected to make the cut. 2026 Ballon d’Or winner and captain Harry Kane will feature. So, too, will Declan Rice. Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka is set to miss out owing to a hamstring issue.

Even so, there is room for a debutant or two to make the cut. Alex Scott made his England bow last month, with Tuchel willing to call upon those who deserve a place in the national team. That could be in the Premier League, or otherwise.

In this instance, the Three Lions head coach may be wise to expand the search parameters and take in the EFL. He doesn’t need to look far to call upon a striker that is thriving in the Championship.

Middlesbrough lead the way in England’s second tier ahead of their midweek trip to Wrexham. Only West Ham (33) have scored more goals than Boro (30) in England’s second tier this term, with Will Lankshear the driving force behind their title pursuit.

A brace against Charlton Athletic over the weekend took Lankshear to 13 league goals for the campaign, at least five more than any other player. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored in each of his last five Championship outings. It’s hard to ignore that form, especially with other English strikers struggling.

Lankshear thriving for Middlesbrough

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has struck four times in nine top-flight outings for Leeds United, but just once in his last five. Spurs hitman Dominic Solanke has netted just once in England’s top tier this term. With the pair struggling in front of goal, turning to Lankshear makes sense.

Naturally, there is understandable trepidation about calling upon an EFL forward and expecting him to make the step up at international level. The difference between Championship and international football is sizeable. However, Lankshear is proving a big fish in a small pond in England’s second tier.

Having dropped down from Spurs, the 21-year-old is proving just why he was on the north London side’s books for so long. And you can be sure Spurs will be made to rue the day they decided to cash in on Lankshear.

Richarlison is out of favour under head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Solanke is struggling for consistency on the Spurs frontline. On balance, Lankshear probably deserved the chance to nail down a regular starting spot under De Zerbi.

Spurs’ loss, though, is very much proving Boro’s gain. Of the 44 players to have managed at least 20 shots in the 2026/27 Championship campaign, Lankshear’s conversion rate of 27.1% ranks top. For context, Calvert-Lewin boasts a conversion rate of 25% in the Premier League. Solanke’s is just 6.3%. Even Kane’s is a sub-par 10.8% in the Bundesliga.

Again, though, Lankshear is performing at a lower level than his fellow English strikers. Expecting the young striker to transfer his impressive Championship form to the international stage is a heavy burden to shoulder. It could prove detrimental to the player’s development, too.

Arguing against Lankshear call-up

Fast-tracking Lankshear to the England senior squad may seem a good idea on paper, but it would add unnecessary pressure to the young forward. While Lankshear is thriving in the Championship this season, he’s hardly covered himself in glory in years gone by, netting just 11 league goals in the 2025/26 season for Oxford United.

What's more, with competitive Nations League fixtures later this month, and England fully expected to progress to the quarter-finals that will take place in March, a lack of international friendlies may convince Tuchel to overlook Lankshear. Tuchel will want to land a piece of international silverware with England, no matter how minor, ahead of a hometown European Championships in 2028.

Progression beyond the group phase should work against Lankshear, even if he is shining in the Championship. Allowing the youngster to focus on his game at club level will reap the rewards in the long run.

Fans may be desperate to see Lankshear become the first Championship outfield player to receive an England call-up since Wilfried Zaha in 2012. And yet, despite his goalscoring exploits in the EFL this season, calling on more experienced striker heads this month will benefit both England and Lankshear more in the long run.

After all, time is very much on his side. Give Lankshear the chance to grow into a more-rounded forward, and he could prove the perfect Kane successor for England.