Pundit tips Nuno to re-energize Tottenham player Mourinho ignored
Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan believes the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo will help revitalise the Tottenham career of midfielder Harry Winks.
Winks, 25, had established himself in the Spurs first team and won 10 England caps. But the arrival of Jose Mourinho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium appeared to hamper his progress. The Portuguese tactician clearly did not rate the holding midfielder and rarely handed him a start.
He was given the nod just nine times in the Premier League last term. And the Hemel Hempstead-born star played the full 90 minutes on just four occasions.
Mourinho has now moved on to Roma while ex-Wolves chief Nuno has moved into the dugout. And Whelan feels that all the Three Lions star needs is the right man in his corner.
“It didn’t work out for some reason or another with Jose Mourinho. He was not sold on him,” he told Football Insider. “Harry Winks is the heartbeat of Tottenham. He’s been there, he’s come through the ranks.
“He just needs that right manager to put that trust and faith back into his game again, that belief.”
Nuno to get best out of Winks
Winks is the proverbial one-club man at present having come up through the youth ranks, although that could change. Aston Villa have been linked with a swoop for the schemer while Newcastle has been mentioned as a possible destination.
But Whelan sees no reason for him to leave. Asked if he thought Nuno could get the best out of him, he added: “I do, I really do. Everyone’s walking in there with a clean slate.
“Players that were frozen out under other managers, it’s a clean slate for them to go out and really impress. Pre-season, new manager, fresh start for players. That’s how it seems and how it feels.
“Whether you’ve been at the club five years, two years, one year, it’s a clean slate for everyone to go and force their way back into the side.“
Winks still has three years left on his current Spurs deal. And so he could command a sizeable transfer fee if they did decide to cash in this summer.
He has plenty of competition in north London. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele, Moussa Sissoko, Giovani Lo Celso and Dele Alli will all vie for a midfield berth.
But he was once the first name on the team sheet and will hope to reach that status again under Nuno.
READ MORE: Man Utd, Tottenham arrivals boost Brighton over big-name summer targets
The post Pundit tips Nuno to re-energize Tottenham player Mourinho ignored appeared first on TEAMtalk.