Football is a supremely odd sport – all it takes is one single moment, and a players entire career can change. A fine example of this would come from Spurs, where we have just all witnessed Ben Davies revive his Spurs career. The Welsh international had looked like a boy lost under both Jose Mourinho and then Nuno Espirito Santo. Under Antonio Conte, though, he has flourished and gained meaningful playing time as part of a back-three. Now, Davies has been rewarded with a fresh new deal.
The defender, 29, has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2025. It is a one year extension on previous terms, and was seen as just reward for what was generally an excellent season last year. Davies is a top-class performer, someone who can be trusted to provide a seven out of ten performance most weeks. He might never be the most exciting player on the team, but his versatility paired with his consistency makes him a must-have in a Conte team.
However, this might not mean that Davies is guaranteed to start every week. Reports suggest the club will shop Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga this summer, moving them on to make space for a high-class, left-footed central defender in Clement Lenglet. This would be seen as a logical move and a further improving of the squad quality – Davies and Lenglet can provide excellent quality on the left-hand side of this back three.
Conte will see many others sold and moved on this summer, but Davies looks to be assured of his position. As other veterans of the previous regime are all moved on without much ceremony, Davies has proven that he can be trusted by Conte. For a coach with such incredible demands on his players, that can only be seen as a positive.
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