Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho went for broke in their crucial Europa League match with LASK Linz on Thursday evening, naming a near full-strength side.

Aside from the absences of Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane, and the presence of Eric Dier on the bench, it was a line-up that could do Spurs justice in a competitive Premier League fixture.

However, it also provided some clues over the long-term futures of some players, namely Dele Alli, who too was named as a substitute as well as Harry Winks.

The England midfielder was snubbed entirely and it's not been the first time either as he has started just three of their top-flight league matches this term.

Winks hasn't even been in the squad for their last three Premier League outings.

The Hotspur Way academy graduate, who is currently valued at €40m (£36m), has even admitted his concern over his position at Spurs ahead of next summer's European Championships, he told Sky Sports:

"Definitely, my situation at Tottenham is difficult at the moment."

With Winks earning around £75k-per-week in north London, it may be wise to move him on this January for the good of his career. It's evident that Mourinho does not fancy him to start matches regularly like he once did.

The form of Tanguy Ndombele and the arrival of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has certainly contributed to that since the summer too.

He was a long-time favourite of Mauricio Pochettino's with the ex-Spurs manager once dubbing the engine room maestro a "perfect midfield player" before comparing him to Spanish greats, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

"His characteristics are perfect. When we talk about midfielders like Xavi and Iniesta, he’s like this type of player. He has this capacity but he needs to take my words in a very positive way — he needs a lot of work."

Given his value and the fact that he's under contract until 2024, Spurs could get a pretty penny from his departure. A bold but much-needed call next month.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Pundit issues bold Harry Kane claim amid "worries"...