Thomas Frank has been getting to know every player at Tottenham Hotspur since the start of pre-season.
The Dane was a brilliant man-manager at Brentford during his time there, and that must have been one of the big reasons why Daniel Levy picked him to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Tottenham have turned Mathys Tel’s loan into a permanent move, while Mohammed Kudus, Kota Takai and Joao Palhinha have all been brought in as well.
Spurs should start thinking about sales too, but one player who was initially expected to leave may end up staying at the club because of Frank.
Thomas Frank has been really impressed by Ben Davies at Tottenham
Tottenham signed Ben Davies from Swansea City all the way back in 2014.
The Wales international has been at the club for over a decade and has played 358 games for Spurs in all competitions.
Davies is 32 already and isn’t good enough to be a regular starter for Tottenham anymore. That is why many people expected him to leave in this window.
Leeds United were linked with a move to sign Davies, while Wrexham are also said to view him as an option to strengthen their squad.
However, The Athletic have revealed that Frank has been very impressed with Davies since he took the Spurs job earlier this summer.
The defender’s ‘experience and mentality’ have caught the Dane’s eye, and he reportedly believes that Davies could have a ‘positive influence’ on the squad.
Furthermore, for the above reasons, Frank is considering including Davies in Tottenham’s leadership group for the upcoming campaign.
Is Thomas Frank right to keep Ben Davies at Tottenham?
The Davies situation at Tottenham is a tricky one.
The 32-year-old’s experience and influence on the squad behind the scenes remain very valuable, but on the pitch, he is no longer good enough.
Davies was really poor against Newcastle in the friendly a few days ago, and we can’t see him faring much better once the season starts either.
That is why we think it’s the right time for Spurs to part ways with their longest-serving player, and TBR Football’s resident Tottenham supporter and expert, Jamie Brown, agrees.
He said: “I think the general feeling among Tottenham fans is that Ben Davies is no longer at the required level.
“Last season, he was caught out on several occasions, with our defeat at Fulham particularly highlighting the concerns supporters have over his ability.
“As a servant to the club, he’s been excellent and clearly highly thought of by the likes of Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Ange Postecoglou and now seemingly Thomas Frank.
“But I fear that when he is called upon to feature, Spurs might have some issues. He’s a great member to have around the dressing room, but as a player, it’s time to move on from him.”