Veteran defender Ben Davies could ask to leave Tottenham in January if he does not get enough opportunities under Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank has overseen a strong start to the new season, repaying the faith shown by his bosses at Tottenham Hotspur by appointing and backing him during the summer transfer window.
Spurs made some exciting signings during the transfer window, showing ambition to back Thomas Frank by replacing the deadwood with fresh blood. After Rodrigo Bentancur penned a new long-term deal last week, the north Londoners now have only two senior players who will be out of contract at the end of the season- Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma.
Following Son Heung-min’s departure to MLS club Los Angeles FC in August, Ben Davies is now the longest-serving and most experienced player in the Tottenham squad. He has been donning the famous white shirt since 2014, racking up 358 appearances to date.
John Wenham thinks Ben Davies will leave Tottenham in January
Ben Davies is yet to make an appearance for Spurs this season, despite the fact that his contract was extended for a year. The Wales international missed a few games due to injury, but when he’s been fit, he has not seen action under new boss Thomas Frank. This is purely down to the high competition within the Lilywhites’ defensive unit.
The 32-year-old has been a fantastic servant for Tottenham since joining from Swansea City, but it now feels inevitable that his time in N17 is coming to an end. Davies has been an unused substitute in each of the last two games in all competitions since recovering from injury, and it seems unlikely that he will get much game time as the season progresses.
With that in mind, reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham thinks Davies may decide to leave in January itself if he does not see any opportunities coming his way.
“I do wonder with Davies,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“If we keep progressing as we are and we’re seeing, (Kevin) Danso come in and we’re seeing that (Joao) Palhinha can play at the back as well, I do wonder if we see Davies maybe depart in January.
“Obviously, he’ll depart at the end of this season, but maybe he’ll depart earlier if there are no sort of opportunities for him to feature.”
Tottenham must not allow Davies to leave in January
Tottenham have enjoyed a very good start to the season and lie third in the Premier League table, just two points shy of leaders Arsenal. This is the kind of start perhaps Frank would have dreamed of when he took the club’s reins in June, so he must be delighted with how things have panned out. However, if the north Londoners are to sustain the demands of competing in all competitions, the Dane needs a strong squad at his disposal.
With injuries and suspensions part and parcel of the game and expected to kick in once the fixtures come thick and fast, squad players like Davies will come in handy for the Tottenham gaffer. Reliable, experienced and a leader, the Welshman is someone who can still do a job for the team. Having been included in the five-man leadership group, Frank clearly rates the veteran defender highly.
That said, Spurs must block any January exit for Davies until and unless they have a competent replacement lined up. It would make absolutely no sense to allow a player of Davies’ experience leave for a paltry fee in the New Year if he is not adequately replaced in the squad.
