England youth international pledges future to Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that young central midfielder and England youth international Harry Winks has set pen to paper and signed a contract extension with the club that will keep him a Tottenham player until at least 2018.

Youngster @HarryWinks_ has signed a new contract until 2018, with the option of an additional further year. pic.twitter.com/PJoPZmLHpo

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 6, 2015

We reported that an extension for Winks was in the works a while ago and it's gratifying to see that it has actually happened. Winks is a top Tottenham prospect who Pochettino apparently really likes; he made his senior debut last season against FK Partizan in the Europa League. He's unlikely to crack the first team at Spurs this season in the Premier League, but he's one that the club is not willing to let slip away.

Generally, Spurs likes to extend the contracts of its young players just before sending them out on loan, so this may be an indication that Winks is set to depart White Hart Lane for a season. Which is just fine. At this point in his development, Winks needs games, and lots of them, to get better. A good loan to the Championship, or under Mark Warburton at Rangers, might just be the thing to push him to the next level.

Congratulations, Harry!