Kevin Danso has found gametime hard to come by at Tottenham so far this season.
The Austrian’s last start came in the UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG in early August, and he has picked up just 11 minutes of football in the Premier League so far this term.
Danso only joined Tottenham permanently in the summer as his loan move from Lens was turned into a permanent deal, but he already finds himself little more than a squad player.
Thomas Frank has hardly called upon the defender at all so far, and Danso will surely be desperate to get on the pitch and make an impact.
This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.
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Kevin Danso stuck behind ‘world-class’ duo at Tottenham
Danso became a fan favourite at Tottenham during his loan stint last season, and he came into the side and played an important role as injuries ravaged the group.
However, since he joined the N17 outfit permanently, the centre-back has hardly kicked a ball, with Frank largely sticking to the duo of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven at the heart of the backline so far.
Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Spurs’ excellent start defensively is providing an issue for Danso as he tries to break into Frank’s plans.
However, he also backs the Austrian to take his chance whenever it does arrive.
“Danso never lets you down,” Wenham said.
“He’s liked by the squad, he’s liked by the fans. The issue he’s got this season is that we’re on four clean sheets out of five. We’ve got two world-class centre-backs in front of him, who are injury-free at the moment.
“But when the opportunity arrives, I’ve got no doubt in Danso to come in and perform well. His throws are such a danger.”
Kevin Danso has to establish himself as third choice
With Radu Dragusin nearing a return for Spurs, Danso must ensure that he continues to show enough to establish himself as the third-choice centre-back in Frank’s eyes.
As good as the starting pair are, history suggests that neither are likely to make it through the entire season without picking up an injury at some stage.
As a result, if the 27-year-old can become the first cab off the rank in terms of replacements, then it is almost guaranteed that he will get the opportunity to impress at some stage.
If he performs well when that chance is presented to him, then it will be his shirt to lose for the remainder of the campaign.