Darren Bent praises Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks

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Darren Bent has explained he’s a big fan of Tottenham’s Harry Winks and even feels he should be a nailed on starter in the England national team.

The 23-year-old is a central midfielder that has come through the academy at Spurs and become a first-team regular under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

He usually slots in as a deep-lying playmaker that likes to have plenty of possession and tries keep the ball ticking over.

Winks has been included in the latest England squad by Gareth Southgate on Thursday for the upcoming international break, despite enduring a difficult season so far domestically.

He’s played 12 games across all competitions so far this campaign for Spurs, but has been overlooked in the last two fixtures.

He was unused substitute in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Everton at the weekend and didn’t even travel with the squad for the midweek Champions League win away to Red Star Belgrade.]

Winks should be fresh if called upon on Saturday, as Spurs host an in-form Sheffield United.

“I like Winks, I like my holding midfield players to pass the ball forward. I don’t like sidewards and backwards and holding up the play,” Bent told talkSPORT when explaining why Rice should start for England.

“I like my midfielders to get it off the centre-backs turn and punch the ball through the lines or hit the wide men. I think Harry Winks does that better than anyone, he does that better than Declan Rice.”

TBR’s View:

Winks has certainly seen his own form drop this season and it’s a concern that he’s been omitted from any action in the last two games.

He needs to try force his way back into Pochettino’s good books and an England opportunity during the next international break would be a brilliant way to do it.

The midfield maestro can on his day pull the strings in the centre of the park and has done it in the past during some high-profile games.

His task has to be breaking back into the best Spurs XI, where he acts as the anchor in front of the back four and allows his creative teammates to flourish.