Will Lankshear to start for Tottenham v Galatasaray after what James Maddison said in training

Will Lankshear could start for Tottenham against Galatasaray on Thursday after what James Maddison said about him in training.

Spurs are preparing for their fourth UEFA Europa League game of the season as they travel to Istanbul to face Galatasaray on 7 November.

The North London club set the mood for the game by releasing a training video on Tuesday (5 November) and the cameras picked up Maddison psyching Lankshear up before heading onto the pitch.

"Willie Lanks, there's a man who's scoring some goals in training today. There's a man who's scoring today, let's go big boy", he can be heard saying on the latest Inside Training video on YouTube (5 November).

Will Lankshear to start for Tottenham after what James Maddison said?

Maddison's comment is a reflection of his character in the dressing room, but it could also be a sign of things to come on Thursday.

As much as everyone enjoyed Spurs' 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa on Sunday (3 November), it came at the expense of Cristian Romero and Richarlison, who hobbled off the pitch in the 82nd minute after coming as a substitute.

While it remains to be seen how long the Brazilian will be out for, Ange Postecoglou could still play Dominic Solanke up front, but the Englishman needs and deserves a bit of rest after playing the full 90 minutes in Spurs' last three games.

Lankshear could, therefore, be set for a rare start for Tottenham in Istanbul on Thursday. His only appearance for the team this season came in their 2-1 win against Ferencvaros in the Europa League on 3 October.

There was disappointment among fans after the 19-year-old remained an unused substitute against AZ Alkmaar last week, but that could change against Galatasaray.

If he did exactly what Maddison predicted in training in the build-up to this one, there is no reason why he won't get another chance on the big stage.

In other Tottenham news, this former Manchester United star has emerged as a target for the club, with Daniel Levy set to front negotiations.

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