Harry Winks continued his upward spiral of progression at Tottenham Hotspur by extending his contract for an additional year on Tuesday, becoming the latest in a number of Lilywhites to have put pen-to-paper within the last year, adding to the deal he signed in September.
21-year-old Winks is now tied down until the summer of 2022, turning a four-year deal into a five-year one.
It comes as no surprise, given his impressive rising in stature amongst the Spurs squad this season, having been given involvement by Mauricio Pochettino in a number of key games, as recently as coming on as a substitute away at Liverpool last Saturday.
Therefore, it also wasn't a surprise to see Winks thank and praise his manager upon signing the new deal.
Praise for Pochettino
Telling the official club website that he's playing under a "top manager", the youngster went on to reveal that he thinks "the gaffer has been brilliant for me," adding that "all we [young players] want is opportunities" and that he's "very, very grateful" to have been handed them by the Argentine.
Speaking about the new deal on the whole, Winks spoke of how he's "delighted" to have got it sorted, saying "I’ve had a lot of game time this year and it’s been everything I’ve wished for since the beginning of the season, but ultimately football can change and I need to keep that level of work rate."
Winks now has the unenviable task of trying to find a consistent starting place in the Spurs XI, in a midfield that already contains the likes of Dele Alli, Victor Wanyama, Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier.
He seems up for the job though, quipping that now the contract is done he must "focus on the pitch" and look to help Spurs deliver their targets.
"Hopefully we can push on in these next few weeks, get maximum points and do really well," said Winks.