Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been one of the club’s best signings in recent memory, and thinks he is keeping Harry Winks out of the team.

The Denmark international arrived from Southampton in the summer and has gone on to become a key member of Jose Mourinho’s starting XI.

Hojbjerg has played in every minute of every Premier League game, and that has seen Winks drop out of the team.

That was underlined last week as Gareth Southgate named his England squad and left Winks out.

The 25-year-old has made just seven starts in the Premier League this season, playing in just one of Spurs’ last 11 games, and was not even included in the squad for the win over Aston Villa.

Mabbutt believes that Winks remains an accomplished option in central midfield, but he has hailed Hojbjerg, and thinks that the competition for places is the reason behind the Englishman’s exile.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “I think Harry's an excellent player. I think he's an excellent character as well. I think there's a lot of competition. In that area, you're talking about Pierre who's done so well for Spurs this season.

“I think he has been one of our best signings for a long time. You can  see what he's doing and what he's bringing to the side, and he's exactly what the side needed.”

There are numerous options for Mourinho and that will be bolstered this summer when Oliver Skipp returns from his impressive loan spell at Norwich City.

Mabbutt added: “But Pierre has got strong competition from the likes of Harry Winks. Oliver Skipp will return from Norwich, where he's having an exceedingly good season.

“I'm sure he's wanting to help them to get promotion back to the Premier League. Sissoko, so there's a lot of competition.

“You're talking about maybe one or two places and you've got three or four players who are top players fighting for that place. That's what you want as a manager.”