Harry Winks was left on the Tottenham bench on Saturday afternoon as Leeds United eased past Spurs with a 3-1 win at Elland Road – prompting Paul Robinson to suggest that Leeds should consider a move to sign the England international this summer. Speaking to LeedsUnited.News, Nigel Martyn agrees with his former apprentice – claiming that the Spurs midfielder would be a “good fit” for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Leeds are expected to be in the market for a new midfielder this summer. Kalvin Phillips obviously remains first choice at the base of the midfield, while Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas continue to do battle for the number six role. But Klich is struggling for form and Dallas is best-suited to playing on the left side of the defence – and Leeds need a midfielder to act as cover for Dallas and Klich, but also back-up to England international Phillips.
Winks, 25, is able to play in both roles. His ball-playing, deep-lying playmaker style of football would see him more-suited to the Phillips role but he has been used in a box-to-box role on occasion by Spurs this season too – having a hand in four goals, scoring two and creating two. The Spurs academy product has a £50,000-a-week (Spotrac) contract at Spurs, until the summer of 2024 – but a move could be on the cards in the coming months.
Speaking to Stadium Astro following Leeds beating Spurs 3-1, Robinson claimed Winks would be a good signing for the Yorkshire club: “One player I would love to see at Leeds in the Kalvin Phillips role is Harry Winks. He’s not been given his opportunity at Spurs, I think he is a fantastic player. Not only can he do the Phillips role, he can play in midfield as well. I would love to see Winks at Elland Road next season.”
Clocking up 170 appearances for Tottenham, Winks is an experienced Premier League player renowned for his work rate, passionate and tenacious performances – and seemingly has the ability to cover two crucial Bielsa roles. Martyn agrees with Robinson, but is confident that Bielsa has his targets and that while Winks would be a good fit at Elland Road – the Leeds legend suggested that the Whites could bring more of an unknown player to the club, like Raphinha.
“He’s a good footballer, yeah, he’s a good footballer,” Martyn told LUN. “He’s been in and around the England side. I know Robbo will still have ties with Tottenham, there might be an agenda there. He is a good footballer, I think he would fit in. I’m very confident the manager knows who and what he wants.
“Let’s wait and see who he does bring in. He brought in Raphinha, not many of us would have heard of him – a talented player – but is now being looked at by bigger clubs and it is important we keep him and show him the ambition to make him stay. Harry Winks would fit into the way we play, but Bielsa will know what he wants.”
