Ben Davies says Tottenham have a £15m player who’s almost as fast as Micky van de Ven

While Tottenham Hotspur’s season has been plagued by inconsistency, one attribute they certainly don’t lack is raw pace.

The North London club boasts an impressive collection of speedsters, from flying full-back Pedro Porro to rapid wingers Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert. Even the evergreen Heung-min Son, though perhaps not quite the blur of his peak years, remains no slouch.

But according to defender Ben Davies, there’s a clear hierarchy when it comes to Tottenham’s fastest players – with an unexpected name emerging as a surprise contender.

In a recent interview with UEFA, the Welsh international was pressed to name who would prevail in a hypothetical 100m dash among the Spurs squad. The answer came as no shock: “It’s Micky van de Ven,” Davies confirmed, acknowledging the Dutch defender’s reputation as Tottenham’s undisputed speed king.

The 23-year-old center-back has become something of a legend for his recovery pace, famously clocking a Premier League record 23.23 mph sprint against Chelsea earlier this season – faster than any player since such data began being collected.

Yet Davies’ response contained an intriguing caveat: “Probably Djed Spence wouldn’t be too far behind.” This revelation about the £15m right-back, who has spent most of his Tottenham career out on loan, adds an interesting layer to the club’s speed dynamics.

While Spence’s limited first-team opportunities mean we have fewer metrics to assess his pace, Davies’ firsthand account suggests the 23-year-old possesses elite acceleration that may have gone under the radar.

The statistics we do have paint a clear picture of Van de Ven’s superiority – his Europa League top speed this season (35.9 km/h) comfortably outstrips Spence’s recorded maximum (33.8 km/h).

However, as any athlete knows, pure top-end speed tells only part of the story. Initial burst, agility over short distances, and game intelligence in utilizing pace all factor into making an effective quick player.

Spence’s potential inclusion in this conversation raises questions about whether Antonio Conte’s reluctance to utilize him represented a missed opportunity.

The former Middlesbrough flyer, now on loan at Genoa, has always been renowned for his marauding runs down the flank – attributes that could theoretically suit Ange Postecoglou’s system perfectly.

As Tottenham look to rebuild this summer, this insight from Davies serves as a reminder that solutions to some of their problems might already exist within their squad.

While Van de Ven’s place as Tottenham’s fastest player remains unchallenged, the revelation about Spence’s wheels adds intrigue to his potential reintegration – or could at least help command a better fee if Spurs decide to cash in.

Either way, it’s clear Hotspur Way houses some serious pace that any opposition must account for when game-planning against Postecoglou’s side.