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Tottenham may sell Kieran Trippier in January, but will hold on to Ben Davies

By Rucker Haringey

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 08: Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur (L) and Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (R) speak during The Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on January 8, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 08: Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur (L) and Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (R) speak during The Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on January 8, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham already have a replacement for Kieran Trippier

Numerous reports claim that several clubs are interested in purchasing Tottenham left back Ben Davies this month, but Spurs won’t be moving the Welsh defender. Kieran Trippier, on the other hand, could certainly be had if a suitable offer were made.

It may seem strange that Spurs are willing to sell one second choice fullback and not the other, but it’s perfectly logical. Mauricio Pochettino knows that he has another option within the squad to replace Trippier. The same can’t be said for Davies.

The starlet to replace Trippier is none other than Kyle Walker-Peters. Regular followers of the Spurs’ Academy are already quite familiar with the English fullback. He’s been a fixture for the club’s youth setup for the last several years.

In fact, the 19-year-old fits what Pochettino wants from his fullbacks much better than Trippier. He has real pace on the outside and has shown the ability to blow past opposing defenders at the U23 level. His performance for the youth setup has recently earned him regular training with the first team.

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Walker-Peters is ready for first team action and Kieran Trippier is standing in his way. Neither man is going to unseat Kyle Walker for the starting spot, which leaves precious little playing time for anyone else. There certainly aren’t enough minutes for two substitute right backs in the Tottenham squad.

Walker-Peters’ presence makes Trippier expendable. At this point, everyone understands what the former Burnley defender is, and what he isn’t. He’s a decent enough offensive player, but he lacks the level of athleticism to really be a mainstay under Pochettino. Trippier is an adequate right back for a lower-mid Premier League squad. He’s unlikely to ever become more than that.

As a result, January might represent Tottenham’s best chance to get a solid transfer fee for Trippier. I acknowledge that selling him would be a bit of a risk given Walker-Peters’ lack of experience, but that would only come into play if Walker missed significant time.

Next: Janssen deserves credit for sticking with Spurs

Kyle Walker-Peters is going to take Kieran Trippier’s place sooner or later. It probably won’t happen until this summer, but don’t be stunned to see Trippier leave White Hart Lane in a late January move.

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