Tottenham are prepared to make a key change to their starting XI

Sergio Reguilon’s exciting debut against Chelsea makes it clear he’s primed for big things at Tottenham. That’s bad news for Ben Davies.

Tottenham weren’t determined to sign a left back when the summer transfer window began, but Spurs found the possibility of bringing Sergio Reguilon into the fold too tempting to resist. His electric debut against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup showed it’s only a matter of time before he secures a regular place in Jose Mourinho’s starting XI.

That doesn’t mean Mourinho doesn’t like Ben Davies. On the contrary, he finds the Welsh international to be one of the club’s steadiest defenders. What Davies lacks in terms of pace going forward, he makes up for with his steady play in front of his own goal. He can frustrate Spurs supporters with his lack of willingness to go forward, but it’s a deficiency that Mourinho is more than happy to accept.

Reguilon is something close to the complete opposite of Davies. His lack of size and strength may cause him difficulty when he’s asked to defend physical Premier League attackers, but his world-class pace going forward is going to cause opponents fits. That’s precisely why Mourinho deployed him as a wing-back in his team’s upset win over the Blues on Tuesday.

Defensive improvement will come for Reguilon as he works with Mourinho and his staff on the training pitch. His natural talent going forward is something that cannot be drilled into any player. It’s also the key difference between Reguilon and Davies.

Davies just doesn’t give Spurs enough dynamic play going forward to keep his place in Mourinho’s starting XI. He’ll still be a regular member of the squad moving forward, but the clock is ticking on his place in the starting lineup against high-quality opponents. Tottenham’s cash investment in Reguilon made it obvious they view him as a future star. His play in his debut only confirmed the club’s evaluation.