Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks says he compares himself to Luka Modric and Frenkie de Jong but admits he is still a “long way” off reaching their level.
Modric is the current Ballon d’Or holder while De Jong earned a big-money move to Barcelona in the summer on the back of his excellent displays for Ajax. The two will go head-to-head in El Clasico this season.
Meanwhile, Winks has emerged as a regular in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting line-up, but there is a feeling there is more to come from the 23-year-old, who has played his way back into the senior England squad for this week’s games against Kosovo and Bulgaria.
Speaking ahead of those matches, Winks talked about how he shares traits with Modric and De Jong but remains grounded in his ambition to reach their level of ability.
“Those qualities are part and parcel of my game,” Winks said (via the London Evening Standard).
“I compare myself to De Jong and Modric and I take it as a massive compliment [to hear the same from others]. But I’ve got a long way to go until I reach that level.”
Winks has been a divisive figure among Spurs fans of late, with some questioning if he does enough to be a guaranteed starter every week. However, he performed well against Arsenal, playing a key role in the build-up to the penalty that put Tottenham 2-0 up at the Emirates.
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