Harry Wink’s journey to the Champions League final - his career so far, according to his family and managers

Young Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks will be hoping to play in Saturday night’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. This is how his his family and managers have seen his career so far.
Harry Winks in action for the Spurs U18 teamHarry Winks in action for the Spurs U18 team
Harry Winks in action for the Spurs U18 team

Harry’s dad Gary, a former semi-pro who played for both Hemel Town and Berkhamsted Town, on Harry starring for his favourite team: “Of course he’s a Spurs fan, that was forced on him by me!

“But then, because he was with the club he’d sometimes get tickets for the senior team.

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“My uncle had taken me to White Hart Lane when I was a kid, and now I’d go with Harry.”

Harry’s mum Anita, on the challenges for Harry as a young boy trying to make it: “Harry had to change, mentally.

“He was very homely, and moving out at that age was very hard.

“Moving from the family home, to live with people he had never met, was probably the hardest thing he did in his whole career. All three of us – me, Gary,and Harry’s sister Milli – were stood there crying as he shut the front door.

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“He went to live in Southgate, and we’d only see him one evening a week.

“However, the family he lived with were really, really nice. Lesley and Matt loved Harry –and as Matt is a driving instructor he even taught Harry how to drive.”

England boss Gareth Southgate delivering his verdict after Harry’s international debut: “I was really pleased, I thought he showed great maturity, he didn’t look fazed by wearing an England shirt.

“His quality on the ball was good, he was the one that found forward passes and he looked to play forward. I thought he could be very proud of his debut.”

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Harry Winks may be one of the classiest English midfielders around – but did his club manager Mauricio Pochettino know he was one-quarter Spanish when he made this comparison? “When we talk about midfielders – because you like to use Spanish midfielders like Xavi and Andres Iniesta – he’s like this type of player.”