Ben Davies Earns New Spurs Contract

Ben Davies joined Spurs in 2014 from Swansea, in a deal which saw he and Michel Vorm join Spurs, with Gylfi Sigurdsson heading in the opposite direction. Since Davies' arrival, he has mostly been seen as the 'dependable' and 'useful' option as an understudy, whether it be to Danny Rose or Sergio Reguilon. That was, until Antonio Conte arrived.

All of Tottenham's managers since Pochettino's arrival have liked the Welshman, but none have utilised him in such a way as Antonio Conte has. The left-back struggled for game time under Nuno, playing just 120 minutes of league football in the Portuguese's ten league games. This immediately changed upon the arrival of Conte, who instantly implemented his famous five at the back formation, which saw Davies converted from a left back into a left sided central defender. He looked like a man reborn as he played every minute of Conte's first five league games, eventually missing only 101 minutes in the remaining 23 league games, securing 11 clean sheets in that time.

He's always been seen as an underwhelming option, but the fact is that he's proved his value to this Spurs side time and time again. He is more than capable defensively, and has a knack for making some spectacular last ditch tackles, most notably in our 4-0 away win at Leeds. He has also added a new dimension to his game, often pushing forward from the centre-back role in an attempt to drive the team forward. He was a dependable constant in that Spurs team that clinched top four last season, and it is easy to see why Conte can rely on him. How his game time will be affected by the arrival of Clement Lenglet from Barcelona is yet to be seen, but I would be very unsurprised to see Davies continue to be rewarded with plenty

of minutes, particularly against more challenging sides where more emphasis is placed on our defensive qualities.

While he may not be the long term number one for that left centre-back position, the arrival of Lenglet on loan suggests even if Spurs sign a new player for that position next summer, such as Bastoni or Gvardiol, then Ben Davies will still be around to offer a dependable backup option, and his new contract which runs until 2025 solidifies that position.