In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Premier League full-back Danny Mills has urged Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks to leave in January as he said, “In January he’s got to be looking at a move because you’ve got Hojbjerg who has come in with Sissoko and Ndombele who has turned things around with Mourinho.
“So I just look at it and think Harry Winks needs to be playing to have a chance of getting in that England squad for the Euros.
“A loan move may well be the best thing for him, not long term, just to get out and play football, so he can show Gareth what he’s capable of and he can keep his fitness levels up and keep his sharpness up.
“Hojbjerg has come in and it is now looking like a Mourinho midfield with a bit of pace and power from Sissoko in there. Hojbjerg is just going to sit and I think he is probably underrated.
“Mourinho knows what he needs, he knows the player for that position that he wants, he knows what he wants him to do and he hasn’t brought in the stellar name but the player who can play how he wants him to.”
Winks’ Important Yet Reserved Role At North London This Season
Winks has been a valuable squad player at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season as he has been a great rotational piece at Jose Mourinho’s disposal over the past few months. The English midfield ace has participated in nine matches for Spurs this term, picking up two yellow cards and receiving 676 minutes of game time across all competitions.
The 24-year-old has caught the eye with his performances in Europe so far as he is averaging 2.3 tackles, 1.0 clearances, 1.0 shots, 1.3 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League. He has also been excellent with his ball-distribution from midfield as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 87.3% in European football this season (stats via whoscored).
What Does The English Midfield Ace Bring To The Table?
Winks is a multi-purpose midfielder as he can contribute by doing a little bit of everything at the centre of the park. He can read the danger quickly that allows him to clear his lines when required. The English sensation is also not shy of getting stuck in with a few tackles and disrupt the opposition’s flow of the game in the process. As mentioned earlier, he is an accurate passer of the ball but can sometimes lack the pace or the physique to get the better of the opposition in midfield.
Should Spurs Let Winks Go In January?
At the moment, Winks is under contract at North London until the summer of 2024, so Mourinho will be under no pressure to cash in on him this winter or at the end of this campaign. The Tottenham head coach seems to be managing Winks quite well even though his limited role might harm his chances of securing a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for next summer’s UEFA European Championships.
Plus, the Hemel Hampstead-born talent is good enough to rival Moussa Sissoko and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg for a place in Spurs’ starting XI this season. All in all, it makes no sense for the Londoners to part ways with Winks during the January transfer window, especially when he is playing so well as a utility player under Mourinho this season.
