Tottenham Hotspur would be crazy not to make Djed Spence a central part of Roberto De Zerbi's project.
That is the opinion of former senior Tottenham scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a sensational World Cup, starring again for England on Saturday as they beat France 6-4 to finish third.
Rumours linking Spence with a move away have been continuous, however, with Everton among the sides reported to be particularly keen.
The Toffees hope to pay around £25million for the full-back, who is under contract at Tottenham until 2029 with the option of an additional year.
The arrival of Andy Robertson has posed a threat to Spence's playing time in North London, with Destiny Udogie set to be first choice.
Tottenham transfer legend hails Djed Spence
Spence was initially a controversial selection when Thomas Tuchel included him in his England squad.
The former Middlesbrough full-back made 30 Premier League appearances last season and spent some of it on the bench.
De Zerbi's arrival saw him benched, starting just twice as Tottenham narrowly survived relegation.
But this summer has been a transformative one for Spence's reputation and potential future.
The 25-year-old's minutes were limited in the group stage, but injuries at right-back saw him start the game against DR Congo, before positive appearances off the bench saw him start against Argentina in the semi-final and against France on Saturday.
Spence was a standout in both games, making one particularly impressive tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone and winning a penalty against France.
"If I was the Tottenham manager, I'd be wanting him to be one of the mainstays of my team," King told Football Insider. "He's a young player.
"He's got a great future. You can play him in several positions. Why in God's name would you want to sell him? Is it to recoup some of the money you've laid out in other positions? That isn't smart for me.
"This is a player who could be a great Tottenham player. I'm putting him in the Ledley King bracket here. He's got great potential, the boy. I mean, he probably made the tackle of the World Cup, didn't he?
"And has shown to be an outstanding international footballer. He's a player I've always fancied. No fuss, gets on with the game. No fuss."
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While Tottenham consider what to do with Spence this summer, they may well soon be forced to field interest from their own rivals.
Full-backs are of priority to Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool this summer, among others.
Spence, at 25, may well represent an ideal option, with the price certainly to rise if they come knocking.
Tottenham still may well keep the full-back, but it is becoming increasingly likely that he will pursue more consistent playing time elsewhere.