Gary Mabbutt wants Ben Davies to have a Tottenham future after his ankle injury, and he is not talking only about a place in the squad. Davies has made more than 350 appearances for the club since joining from Swansea City, but he has not played since a serious ankle injury in January. Tottenham triggered a one-year extension last summer to keep him for the 2025-26 campaign.

Why Mabbutt still sees a role for Davies

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Mabbutt said: "What he has given to the club so far… it was just so unfortunate the injury he received. It was devastating for him and or us because Ben's a player you can always rely on."

He also said: "Certainly I hope something will be done with his contract, whether it be still on the playing side or maybe looking a bit more to the future, but hopefully still with Tottenham Hotspur."

That is the part of this story worth taking seriously. Davies has not been a heavy-minute player this season, with only 3 Premier League appearances and 138 minutes, plus 1 Champions League appearance and 1 FA Cup appearance. Even so, Mabbutt is making the case that experience and reliability still matter, especially for a player who has been around the club this long.

Tottenham's rebuild and the Davies decision

Mabbutt did not stop at Davies. He also said: "We have to bring in, I would say, a number of big players to change the squad."

And he added: "We need to change the level we are at. The ambition of the club is incredible and yet it's not been reflected in the way things have happened in the last couple of seasons. A lot of work has to be done."

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League with 38 points, so the rebuild point is hard to dodge. Mabbutt's view is that the club can do both things at once, refresh the squad and keep a long-serving player in the building. The source material does not say Davies is definitely leaving, and there has been no word yet on whether he will be there next season. What it does show is that a club great believes Tottenham should not treat him like a player to cast aside while the summer changes around him.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →