Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed Harry Winks is still feeling the effects of an ankle injury suffered last April.

Winks, 21, had begun making major inroads to the first-team last season before his campaign was brought to a premature end when he was stretchered off during a 2-0 win over Burnley, with it later emerging he had suffered ankle ligament damage.

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The England Under-21 international had looked to have made a complete recovery and has featured off the bench three times this season, but Pochettino says there are still lingering concerns.

"Yes, he is struggling," Pochettino said of the midfielder at a press conference ahead of the visit of Swansea City on Saturday, football.london report. "His injury was very bad and he struggled a little bit still in my opinion. Still he needs to work hard. Still he feels a little bit of pain in his ankle. Always football is about confidence, trust and feeling 100% and he still struggles a little bit."

Pochettino did not explain whether Winks' ongoing problem is enough to rule him out of the visit of Paul Clement's side, with Spurs already short a midfielder with Victor Wanyama sidelined with a knee injury.

While Harry Kane's current form demands he starts, Fernando Llorente, who came off the bench in the 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, is hoping to make his Premier League debut for Spurs against the side he left just a few weeks ago in Swansea.

"Why not? Maybe," Pochettino said when asked if the Spain international will be involved against his former employers. "We have a plan to play tomorrow and then see whether he plays or not, or comes off the bench. I think we are so happy with him and he will have a very good impact on the team and the club and [will be] important throughout the whole season."

Spurs, meanwhile, remain without injured duo Danny Rose and Erik Lamela for the visit of the Welsh club.

Harry Winks
Winks came off the bench in the 3-0 win over Everton. Getty