Harry Winks has opened up on his time at Tottenham and why he left the club.
The 27-year-old midfielder has revealed to The Times that he did not feel wanted at the London club and he wanted to join the club that will give him the respect and opportunities he deserves.
The England midfielder is currently on loan at Italian club Sampdoria and he has proven to be a useful addition for them after getting over his injury concerns.
Winks had fallen down the pecking order at Tottenham since the arrival of Antonio Conte and he needed to leave the club in order to play regularly.
The midfielder feels that the time was right for him to move on and he has also revealed that he does not keep in touch with people at Tottenham.
“Everyone, me and the club, we both knew it was time to part. The situation was clear. I told the club I wanted to go and play regularly. I wasn’t happy just being on the bench and not getting minutes,” Winks said.
“Every time I played, even if I did well I would be out the next game, and it’s really difficult to play your best football like that.
“I said to the club, with no animosity, ‘I want to play regularly. I’ve had some amazing years at Spurs but I want to go and get my confidence and fitness back. I need that to show my qualities again.
“The main driver was I wanted to play for a team that wanted me, that respected me enough and wanted to commit to me in that sense. I wanted to feel wanted and appreciated because in the last couple of years it was difficult at Spurs. I didn’t have that feeling.”
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has a knack for relying on midfielders with a bit of physicality and Winks is more of a technical player. The English midfielder never really fit into the Italian manager’s tactical setup and it remains to be seen whether he can secure a permanent exit away from Tottenham in the summer.
The 27-year-old has proven himself in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino and he could be an important player for most mid-table clubs.
Winks is entering his peak years and he will be determined to prove his quality at a high level in the coming years.
