Paul Merson urges Tottenham ‘scapegoat’ Harry Winks to join Everton

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Paul Merson believes Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks has been made a scapegoat at the club and has urged Everton to go and sign him this summer.

The 26-year-old has been at Tottenham for almost a decade now. He joined as a teenager back in July 2012 and came through the ranks in Spurs’ academy. He then made his senior debut in November 2014 as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League at the old White Hart Lane.

Winks has since played over 200 games for Spurs in all competitions. He’s often a reliable performer who does his job in the middle of the park without too many problems, but the fact that he isn’t quite capable of the extraordinary has pushed him down the pecking order.

Merson believes Winks is still a very good player, who is even capable of playing for England in Qatar later this year. But, for that to happen, he has to leave Tottenham, a club where the pundit thinks he has been made a ‘scapegoat’.

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Paul Merson says Harry Winks has been made a scapegoat at Tottenham

In his column on The Daily Star, Merson wrote: “I think Harry Winks will be a good player for Everton, after being a bit of a scapegoat at Tottenham. I think he even has a sneaky chance of gatecrashing England’s World Cup squad if he has an unbelievable start to the season.

“I think he is a good footballer who never got the rub of the green at Spurs. When Jose Mourinho was there, every time they lost, Winks would get benched. If Everton actually spend money on him rather than taking him on loan it will show the manager really wants him and the club really values him.

“You get more chances to play when a club buys you than you would if you were on loan. I think that’s a good move for him. I think he will come into his own. He is a better player than people think. He could still play for England.

“We don’t have anyone who can keep the ball in midfield. That’s why he still has a chance of going to the World Cup for me. This kid keeps it simple and keeps possession and keeps it ticking over. We will need that in Qatar.

“I think he was trying too hard at Spurs. Trying to do something special to justify his place. But he’s at his best when he keeps it simple and gets you control in midfield.”

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Winks is a tidy player in the middle of the park. For a club that needs someone to get on the ball, retain possession and move it along to his more adventurous teammates, he’s an excellent fit.

Tottenham have Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the middle of the park, while Antonio Conte has just gone and bought Yves Bissouma, who will likely be a guaranteed starter next season. Young Oliver Skipp is also an option, and he’s a fantastic player as well.

Winks clearly has no place at Spurs now and a move away this summer is the best thing for all parties involved.

Everton have been heavily linked, and he could become a fine player under Frank Lampard if he makes that moves in the coming weeks.

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