Southampton are plotting a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks this summer as they aim to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

What's the story?

According to The Daily Mail, Saints are keen on signing the out of favour star who has been left out of Spurs' pre-season trip to South Korea.

The 26-year-old has been told he is free to leave the club this summer as boss Antonio Conte looks to overhaul his squad. The north London side are expected to listen to offers around the £20m mark.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's side aren't the only club interested with Everton also making contact in hope of securing the Englishman.

The news comes just days after the Saints landed Joe Aribo from Rangers.

Imagine him & Ward-Prowse

One player that Winks would be playing alongside if he moved to the south coast is Saints captain James Ward-Prowse. The two have featured in the same England squad before so would likely fit together well.

Winks made just nine starts in the top flight last season so he wouldn't be missed greatly by Spurs, whereas he could make a real difference in the Southampton team.

In the time he did get on the pitch last campaign he registered an impressive 88% passing accuracy per game proving he will find a teammate more often than not.

Ward-Prowse's percentage was a very similar 86% which shows that they would form a good duo.

If you compare Winks to his positional peers in the Premier League last season he also performs well, ranking in the top 6% for progressive passing distance.

The player who was once dubbed "perfect" by Mauricio Pochettino also ranks in the 93rd percentile for dribblers tackled showing he isn't someone who shy's away from a battle.

These are all qualities that Hasenhuttl will like, and alongside Ward-Prowse, Saints would have a very solid midfield, and with both players still relatively young they could rely on them for many years.

His departure would likely prompt mixed emotions from supporters as he is from London and came through the youth setup at The Lilywhites. However, it seems like a move is best for all parties and it would give Winks a chance to kick start his career again.

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