Gary Mabbutt believes academy product could be a future captain of the club

Former Tottenham defender Garry Mabbutt has raved about Harry Winks and suggested that he could be the future captain of the club.

Mabbutt himself knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful captain at Spurs, having led the Lilywhites to UEFA Cup and FA Cup wins.

Winks, who joined the Tottenham academy when he was just six-years-old and rose through the youth ranks at the club, has not only established himself as an important part of Spurs’ midfield, but arguably England’s too.

However, it has not all been smooth sailing for the 24-year-old. He has had horrible injury problems to deal with and more than his fair share of doubters.

Winks received a lot of plaudits for his performance against Manchester City on Sunday when he put in a combative and assured display.

He held his own as Tottenham’s sole holding midfielder against Pep Guardiola’s side, proving what he is capable of when he is at his best.

However, it is not just Winks’ ability as a footballer that Mabbutt praised, but also his leadership and conduct.

Speaking to Love Sport Radio, the legendary defender said: “Last Thursday myself and Harry were visiting a care home for people with dementia, we went there with the Spurs football foundation with a company called Sporting Memories.

“Harry was a superstar, amongst all the elderly people in bad conditions and Harry was fantastic. I’ve got the belief that if he continues to improve as he is, I think he could be a future captain of the club.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Given how the game is evolving with an increasing number of sides using deep-lying playmakers to transition the ball into attacking areas, Winks is a fantastic option to have. Not only does he rarely give the ball away but he is actually quite good at sensing danger and winning the ball back.

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