Gary Neville has tipped Harry Winks to play an important role for England in the future – and is surprised that the Tottenham man hasn’t already.
Winks, who made his Three Lions debut in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier, has won six caps for his country, but has failed to establish himself as a regular in Gareth Southgate’s squad over the previous few seasons.
The 24-year-old unfortunately missed the World Cup in Russia due to an ankle injury, but was named in the squad for the Nations League a few months later and impressed during England’s 3-2 victory over Spain in October 2018.
However, despite playing in the Champions League final against Liverpool, another ankle problem saw Winks ruled out of the Nations League Finals days later. And after Declan Rice, Fabian Delph and Ross Barkley all under performed as England finished third, Neville said that the Spurs midfielder is a “must” moving forward.
12 months later, the former-Manchester United defender has stuck by those thoughts.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, host Kelly Cates asked Neville whether he can become an important player for England.
“I think so, I am surprised he hasn’t,” he told Sky Sports News.
“I think England at the [2018 World Cup] last tournament really struggled at times to break midfield. They struggled to get up on the ball and keep the ball.
“If you think about in that game against Croatia in the semi-final when [Luka] Modric really sort of started to dominate the game – and it’s a problem that England midfield’s have had over the years. I think he’s the type of player that does play off line, can take the ball and will always receive it on the half-turn.
“He reminds me little bit of Jack Wilshere in the sense of how he receives the ball and can just glide forward with it, but I think that he is a really good player, I enjoy watching him play.
“I actually think in the Champions League final, I was surprised he was taken off last year because I thought he was having a really good game.”