Tottenham Hotspur have had great success in recent years when it comes to their academy, with a number of graduates going on to become Premier League stars.
Harry Kane’s class has by far been the most successful in terms of success, with Kane, Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason, Nabil Bentaleb, Tommy Carroll, Jake Livermore, and more forging careers at big clubs.
However, the latest success story out of the academy has certainly been Harry Winks, the last player to really bridge the gap between youth and regular first-team star.
Winks has now become an integral part of that Spurs midfield, as well as being called up for Gareth Southgate’s England team.
Pochettino has picked Winks and Moussa Sissoko as his first choice pairing for the last season, and he would be wise to build a midfield around the young Englishman.
Tottenham legend Chris Waddle has now compared Winks to the new Barcelona maestro, Frenkie de Jong.
On England’s Nations League exit, Waddle said (BBC Sport): “The nearest player we have got to de Jong is Tottenham’s Harry Winks, who did not make the squad for Portugal despite recovering from groin surgery in time to play in the Champions League final at the start of June.
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“I thought he was excellent in Madrid and was surprised Spurs took him off after 66 minutes, but it was his first game back after several weeks out following groin surgery so I can understand if he was feeling the pace.
“I am sure Winks will be back in the frame for England’s home qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo in September, but Gareth’s big challenge in the next few months is to find the right blend in midfield.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
In my opinion, Harry Winks is one of the most underrated talents in English football right now. The holding midfield position has always been unsung, but Tottenham have a real talent on their hands here. Winks can pass, drive with the ball, tackle, cover huge amounts of ground, and already has a cool head on his shoulders. I would be surprised and disappointed if he isn’t a regular for club and country for years to come.
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