Former Tottenham defender Alan Hutton has backed Harry Winks to force his way into Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans in the forthcoming campaign.

The Lowdown: Spurs gear up for life under Nuno

Looking towards 2021/22, many Spurs fans will be eager to witness the direction in which their new manager can take them after missing out on Champions League football for a second successive season.

Acquiring top talent will be key to prospective improvement, but revitalising existing playing assets at the club will also carry great importance.

The Latest: Hutton tips Winks to thrive under new management

One man who Hutton reckons could make an impression on Nuno is midfielder Harry Winks, who last month was reportedly told by Fabio Paratici that he was free to find a new club.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, the Scot was very complimentary regarding the Englishman’s capabilities, stating:

“You always need someone like Winks in your team, in my opinion.

“If I’m Winks with a new manager coming in, you sit and you think ‘What kind of football does he play? What style of player does he like?’ I always did that when I was at Villa and a new manager came in ‘Does he like attacking full-backs? Or, does he just want them to stay back? Does he play a back three?’ You figure all this out in your head.

“At Wolves, he did like to play with that midfielder who drops back, gets the ball and make things happen. He liked someone to keep the ball ticking around the pitch”.

The Verdict: Winks should be a key part of Spurs' first team proceedings

Winks enjoyed a relatively productive 2020/21 season, registering four goal contributions in 30 outings with two goals and two assists [Transfermarkt]. Demonstrating his propensity to rotate the ball effectively, the Tottenham academy product recorded an impressive 84.9% passing accuracy across the campaign [WhoScored], the fourth-highest in the entire squad [WhoScored].

Proving his defensive worth, he averaged 1.8 interceptions per game in the Europa League, often stifling opposition attacks [WhoScored] - only three of his team-mates bettered that figure in European action [WhoScored].

Progressing further into pre-season, Nuno should incorporate Winks into his first team plans due to his composure and ability to keep the midfield area ticking over. Hutton is right to appeal to the new manager not to jettison the 25-year-old.

In other news, Spurs are interested in this wonderkid striker.