Pundit Exclusive: Mourinho tipped to block January exit of wantaway Spurs favourite
Gabriel Agbonlahor has tipped Jose Mourinho to block Harry Winks leaving Tottenham in January.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley, the former England striker admitted the midfielder will find it difficult to dislodge the "physical" trio of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Moussa Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombele.
He tipped the trio to all start Saturday's clash against Man City "without a shadow of a doubt".
The 24-year-old opened up while on international duty about his "difficult" situation at Tottenham.
He said: “My situation at Tottenham is difficult at the moment. It’s important that I keep fighting and working as hard as I can to stay in the [England] squad and to stay in the team.”
Asked by Football Insider whether Winks would be wise to leave his boyhood club, Agbonlahor said: “It might be the right thing for him but I don’t see Jose Mourinho letting him leave.
“You need a squad. Spurs are in a lot of competitions this season so you can’t just have three midfielders and let the rest go.
“Winks is the one where if Ndombele doesn’t have a great game, he’ll play the next game.
“He has to be patient and I’m sure Jose Mourinho will say to him ‘you’re not going anywhere because you’re a quality player’.
“But for certain games he’s going to want to play his three giants of midfield in Hojbjerg, Sissoko and Ndombele because they’re stronger, more physical.
“Without a shadow of a doubt it will be those three against Manchester City at the weekend because they’re powerful midfielders.”
Winks has started eight games across all competitions this season but only three of those have come in the league.