Conte must finally axe "conservative" £40m liability who's "casting shadows" at Spurs - opinion

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a report by the Daily Star, who claim that both Southampton and Crystal Palace are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the England international ahead of a potential move for the midfielder at the end of the current campaign.

The report goes on to state that Tottenham are prepared to listen to any sensible offers for the 26-year-old this summer, as Antonio Conte does not view the academy graduate as part of his long-term plans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while it is also said that, despite being a boyhood Spurs fan, Winks would welcome the chance of becoming a first-team regular elsewhere.

Considering just how little Winks has featured since Conte’s arrival in north London last November, in addition to the fact that the midfielder is one of the higher-earners in the Italian’s squad, it would appear a wise move for the 52-year-old to move the Englishman on this summer.

Indeed, despite the fact that Winks’ fellow central midfielder, Oliver Skipp, has been sidelined since January due to injury, the £15.3m-rated 26-year-old has started just eight Premier League fixtures under the management of Conte, having played a total of just 137 minutes of league football since the back to back defeats against Southampton and Wolves in February.

Furthermore, the £91k-per-week man – who Tottenham placed a £40m price tag on last summer – has been criticised for his lack of urgency in the middle of the park, none more so than by former Spurs defender Graham Roberts, who dubbed Winks “Mr Conservative.”

In an interview with Football Transfer Tavern last year, Roberts said of the 10-time capped