Newcastle United have been linked with a January move for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks.
It was previously reported that Eddie Howe is looking to boost his midfield options when the transfer window opens next month.
Talk of a move for Winks isn’t new, but the Northern Echo have provided some fresh insight into Newcastle’s thinking.
They report that the club believe Tottenham will be willing to do business regarding Winks so that they can free up a space in their Premier League squad.
This may come as a surprise considering how against the takeover Daniel Levy reportedly was.
But Winks is out of favour at Tottenham, even with the change of manager. The 25-year-old didn’t feature much under Nuno Espirito Santo. There was even talk of him leaving on loan with Newcastle rumoured to be in the mix.
Now Antonio Conte is in charge, but Winks’ woes have continued. The 10-time England international has only started once since Conte took over.
Harry Winks would be ideal for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle midfield
Howe has managed Newcastle three times now, and gone with the same midfield pairing. In each game he’s started with Jonjo Shelvey alongside Joe Willock.
The former has impressed, but the latter not so much. Meanwhile, Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff have had to settle for roles on the bench.
Newcastle clearly need to improve their centre-midfield options, and Howe reportedly believes that Winks would be an upgrade. It’s hard to disagree.
Winks is the kind of player Newcastle need in their midfield. He’s tidy in possession, which is why Gareth Southgate was so fond of him. He’s also capable of pressing, which is what helped him break into Tottenham’s first-team under Mauricio Pochettino.
Both of those qualities are what Howe is looking for. Technically sound and high intensity.
If Tottenham are looking to sell or loan out Winks in January then Newcastle need to make sure they’re at the front of the queue.
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