Why Man United can’t let Harry Winks join Man City
Manchester United and Manchester City are weighing up a move for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, as per The Mirror.
England star Winks, 23, has completed 90 minutes just twice under Jose Mourinho, seemingly falling down the pecking order after being a regular under Mauricio Pochettino. The midfielder was handed a start in the FA Cup against Middlesbrough on Sunday but was again withdrawn before the hour mark following an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Manchester City need to add quality in their central midfield unit. With Fernandinho turning 35, Pep Guardiola must find a long-term replacement and Winks is a viable option.
The 23-year-old has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, having made 12 Premier League starts this season. The Portuguese boss, however, has favoured Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier and Tanguy Ndombele in the midfield ahead of him.
Winks has spent his entire career with Tottenham, joining their academy aged only six. He made his professional debut in November 2014 and has gone on to play more than 120 times for the Lilywhites.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on the other hand, also needs to bring in midfield reinforcements this winter. Paul Pogba’s lack of fitness and uncertain future have played a part in forcing United’s hand to look for new faces.
Fred’s inconsistency and Scott McTominay’s latest injury have added to the Red Devils’ woes. Signing someone like Winks would be a good move as the midfield dynamo is capable of running the game in the centre of the park.
City have one of the league’s finest defensive midfielders in Fernandinho. The Brazilian has been a key figure in their rise to the summit of English football and continues to be a crucial cog in their machine.
Pep Guardiola has been utilizing him in central defence to plug a gap the club failed to fill last summer, following the departure of Vincent Kompany. Despite the towering player’s diligence and versatility, he turns 35 in May and is yet to renew his contract that runs out the following month.
Verdict
With David Silva’s contract expiring soon and Fernandinho turning 35, City are in dire need for reinforcements. Winks’ ability to thrive in possession-based games makes him perfect to provide competition to Rodri in the pivot of City’s midfield.
United, on the other hand, have a central midfield that lacks control. It’s not a recipe for consistent success and it must be addressed in the transfer window, thus making Harry Winks a much-needed target. While it’s undoubtedly true that they need a No.10 to improve on the underperforming Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard, their criminal lack of depth in deep-lying midfield positions have been horribly exposed of late.
Thus, the Red Devils must beat their cross-city rivals and sign Winks at the earliest.
