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"He’s going nowhere" - Mourinho closes door on midfielder sale


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Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out selling Harry Winks in the January transfer window. 

Rumours in the press had linked the England international midfielder with a loan move to La Liga side Valencia.

Winks has started just five Premier League games for Spurs this season, and was on the bench for December's defeats to both Leicester and Liverpool.

But Mourinho has unequivocally closed the door on shipping Winks out during the current transfer window.

"What do I have to say to stop with this talk?," he snapped prior to Wednesday night's game with Fulham, "I said already, he’s going nowhere.

"He’s going nowhere. So when I say he’s going nowhere, what more do you want me to say?

"He’s played the last matches. He didn’t play the last one, was a decision to let play other players like Gedson and players that are not basically playing many minutes.

"Tomorrow’s he’s selected again,. And if somebody is speaking with other clubs, my advice is don’t lose [waste] your time, don’t lose your time because he’s going nowhere."

However, Mourinho didn't rule out Gedson Fernandes' loan spell ending prematurely.

The midfielder signed an 18-month deal with Spurs twelve months ago, but is another who has struggled for game time.

"I don't know. I don't know," Mourinho replied when asked if Fernandes could return to Benfica.

"If he stays I'm happy. Again, from a selfish point of view I'm very happy if he stays because he's a good player and when we need him we know that we have some quality coming from him.

"Of course it's a pity that he can't be in the Europa League list. We've played already nine matches in the Europa League.

"I would imagine that playing in the Europa League would be a much happier situation for him.

"But in the selfish look at it I would like him to stay but again we are not selfish and we think of the players. In this case we also think about the father club so we have just to wait."

I don't even celebrate goals myself

Following Chorley players' reaction to beating Derby in the FA Cup, concerns have been raised over players' celebrations. It's feared their proximity could facilitate the spread of COVID-19.

But Mourinho feels things are far more sanguine at Premier League level.

He said, "In terms of dressing rooms, I don't believe that at Premier League level in any team's dressing rooms we have this kind of celebrations just by winning three points in the Premier League.

"When you go down, to the FA Cup, to giant killings, to incredible moments for some clubs and players' careers, that can happen. Because it's the wild emotion of football that can push to that.

"I think now they will not repeat that. I think now with the exposure and the comments and the explanation of the risks, I think now the boys even with crazy happiness of a big day for them, they will control [themselves].

"During matches at Premier League level, the celebrations of a goal, I think more is becoming less.

"I don't even celebrate goals myself almost. Because of the VAR, I adapt and I went in a certain direction to controlling emotions and I believe the players can do a little bit of the same.

"The reality is that the big exposure was some celebrations after matches in the dressing room. And in the normal situation, that's the beauty of football, of a small team beating the giant.

"But in this moment, they have to control and adapt."

Denise O’Sullivan | Irish heartbreak, making it in the US, WSL experience | OTB AM


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Coronavirus Covid-19 Fa Cup Fulham Gedson Fernandes Harry Winks Jose Mourinho Premier League Spurs Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur

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