HARRY WINKS

AGE: 20 CLUB: TOTTENHAM POSITION: MIDFIELDER VALUE: £5m 2016-17 APPEARANCES: 6 GOALS: 0

WHAT HAS HE GOT?

IT is very difficult to emerge from youth to senior Premier League football but I confidently predict that Tottenham have a homegrown player here following in the footsteps of Kane, Townsend and Mason. Winks has been at Tottenham a while and has had involvement with the seniors, receiving encouragement from Mauricio Pochettino. He has good energy and despite his slender frame he gets about the pitch with good stamina. He could eventually play for Spurs as a deep-lying midfielder. It is his passing that stands out. Most players can distribute accurately when unchallenged but his ability to pass the ball when under pressure marks him out as potentially a top player. Winks can pass with both feet, short and long. Glenn Hoddle was a brilliant exponent of the ‘risk’ pass — a ball that may be intercepted but equally may result in a goal chance. Winks is also not afraid to fail. He makes himself available by finding space intelligently and moving his marker. And he has enough of a ‘ping’ to score a goal.

WHAT DOES HE NEED?

HE needs to work on his timing to get into goalscoring positions, but given the freedom he has good enough feet and bravery to score. However, I believe Tottenham see him as an instigator rather than a finisher. In any game his stats are high for runs, challenges, safe passes, penetrating runs, risk passes and shots. He has never been loaned out, so has not been overly exposed, but like Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham — on loan at Bristol City — and Michael Keane, who moved from Manchester United to Burnley, he should have been assessed and spotted earlier and elevated to England Under 21 level either last season or even the one before. He should have been ahead of several flavour-of-the-month players who have gained caps simply because they have been given first-team football earlier. Sometimes, England scouts should

look deeper.