Winks), astute signings of young players (forward Dele Alli, full-back Danny Rose and midfielder Eric Dier), lesser-known older ones (Son Heung-min) and the occasional bigger name (Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen), they have put together a squad that consistently holds its own - and in many cases betters - rival clubs with access to far greater resources.

Secondly, Tottenham's training ground at Enfield, with its 15 grass pitches, has been recognised as one of the best in Europe since it was opened in 2012 and was used by Brazil as a base to prepare for the 2018 World Cup.

And finally, there is the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Although it was hit by massive delays, the 62,000-capacity arena has received almost universal praise since it was opened in April.

Clubofficials openly admit it has been built with an eye on becoming a permanent home for a London-based NFL franchise and will host its first two "road games" in the autumn.

For a lifelong fan like Winks, Tottenham's evolution has been eye-opening.

"I have managed to see the transition of Spurs over the last 10 to 15 years," he said.

"I watched as a fan but since the gaffer came in, as a player, I have seen how the club has gone forward. It is not only in the Premier League. Now we are respected in Europe and around the world. It is an exciting place to be."

The 'massive challenge' to compete consistently

Tottenham's new stadium should help propel them to sit alongside Europe's elite, but it must be paid for

The stadium