Ben Davies had an excellent season for Mauricio Pochettino, but that isn’t going to stop Tottenham from bidding for a potential upgrade.
Heading into the summer, few Tottenham fans would have pegged left back as a position for immediate attention. Ironically, it may be the position where Spurs’ first transfer purchase occurs.
Reports emanating from Portugal claim that the Premier League side have already lodged an opening bid for Porto star Alex Grimaldo. Furthermore, it’s expected Tottenham will return with a second bid in the coming days. It’s thought that Porto will require a bid of at least £30 million for their talented defender.
Obviously, this is an interesting bit of news for both Ben Davies and Danny Rose. Davies had his best season as a professional last year. It was believed that Pochettino and company were very comfortable letting him retain his starting position next year. Spending big money on a younger, more dynamic option like Grimaldo might put Davies’ spot at risk.
Rose, on the other hand, endured a decidedly mediocre campaign for Tottenham last year. He struggled to return to fitness after offseason surgery and it’s recently come to light that he was battling with depression as well. Tottenham officials are certainly optimistic he can recover on both fronts, but it would be unwise to sit back and count on him to return to the way he played for the club two seasons ago.
It’s highly unlikely that Pochettino will carry three left backs next season. If Grimaldo comes in, either Rose or Davies is going to need to be moved. Expect the Englishman to be the player jettisoned. His public unhappiness with the club combined with his erratic play make him a difficult player for the Argentine manager to trust.
That doesn’t mean it’s all good news for Davies though. The acquisition of a younger, more dynamic player will limit his time as the Spurs’ starter. He may keep his job for another season or two, but his lack of athleticism means he isn’t a perfect fit for Pochettino. Purchasing Grimaldo would limit the number of seasons the Welshman has at Tottenham.