This is a difficult category to choose after another promising Tottenham Hotspur campaign; Kieran Trippier has ably stepped into Kyle Walker’s shoes at right-back, Son Heung-min showed some of his best Spurs form in the first half of the season and Harry Kane just gets better year on year.
However, Ben Davies’ displays at left-back kept Danny Rose out of the team for the majority of 2017-18 and for that reason he has arguably demonstrated the greatest improvement of all.
His attacking statistics, six assists and two goals, do not do justice to the Welshman’s defensive solidarity and he has been a reliable pick for boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Signed in the summer of 2014 from Swansea City, Davies was viewed by many simply as an able backup to Rose, someone to slot into the side as and when needed but not a preferred choice.
A serious knee injury suffered by the England international last term changed all that, but whilst unfortunate for the former Leeds United trainee, it gave his team-mate a platform to stake a claim for more regular inclusion.
Davies has grabbed it with both hands and, despite Rose returning to Tottenham duties in October, he has been unable to displace the 25-year-old.
Although some fans have argued that the Euro 2016 semi-finalist does not have the pace to be a long-term solution on the left of the defence, he has answered those critics with the quality of his crossing and intelligence in choosing his moments to bomb forward.
He will never be the most glamorous of players, but the 38-cap international is a manager’s dream; hard-working and willing to put the success of the club before his personal ambitions.
And whilst Rose’s future looks up in the air going into the transfer window, it is a safe bet that Davies will still be at Tottenham come the start of next season.