Harry Winks priced out of Tottenham exit

For much of the summer and prior, Tottenham fans have been reading about how the hardline stance of Daniel Levy has stopped Harry Kane moving on. The demand for an eye-watering fee for Kane left many of his suitors unlikely to follow up on the interest. What eventually was transpired was Kane agreeing to stick around as part of Spurs. With talk of a new contract even on the horizon, then, this summer was a fine example of how the nature of Levy can lead to Spurs getting what they want – no matter how hard it is.

However, it is also a push to show that Levy and Spurs will never be bullied. While this kind of approach often means that Spurs have few friends in the transfer market, it does mean they often get the price they want for a player. All summer, though, another Harry was left priced out of a move that he wanted as well: Harry Winks.

As two Spurs boys and academy prospects, the fact that both players wanted out the door should be a major concern to Spurs. That is not a good look for any club, especially not a team with such a proud history of supporters in the team. Levy, though, was keen to sow everyone that it is not only with Kane that he takes such a strong stance. Winks was apparently quoted at as much as £40m to sell this summer.

Now, given the players poor form and lack of appearances for much of the last season and a bit, that should surprise most fans. This means that the player was left in limbo, unable to find a move that would allow for a career revival, purely because the Spurs hierarchy wanted a massive fee.

Why would Spurs not sell Harry Winks?

From a playing perspective, Winks was not a favourite of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician seen him as too lightweight and rarely provided playing chances in his second season at Spurs. However, Winks has also had precious few opportunities to thrive under new coach Nuno Espirito Santo. As such, the player feels surplus to requirements on the playing side: how can a player out the team command such a fee?

The truth is that he cannot – Levy would have been as well simply not taking calls on the player. The fee quoted is beyond what any team would reasonably pay for the player, meaning Spurs were keen to keep the player. Despite the fact he rarely plays and gets involved in games. That is an issue, and shows why Spurs seem to find it so hard to conclude deals.

Levy has a reputation of having to try and win every single transfer or trade. This even extends to the likes of Winks, who has slowly but surely become a player who is unlikely to get a game much this summer. It is yet another example of the way in which Spurs is run at this current moment in time.