AFC Bournemouth
Highly-rated defender Leif Davis has joined AFC Bournemouth on a season-long loan from Leeds United ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season - and we've put together a story of his career to date.
Strong, quick and committed, Davis describes himself as “a modern day attacking left-back”, while Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa says he is “a great player”.
Born in Newcastle, Davis started his career with Wallsend Boys’ Club, whose graduates include former England internationals Alan Shearer, Michael Carrick, Fraser Forster and Peter Beardsley.
In June 2016, he signed a two-year scholarship with Morecambe and trained regularly with the first team at the then-League Two club.
Davis joined Leeds for an undisclosed fee in July 2018 – just days after Bielsa had taken charge – and penned a three-year contract at Elland Road.
He started out in their under-23 squad, working under current Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan who sometimes utilised Davis as a centre-back.
Having quickly caught the eye in the academy, Davis was promoted to Bielsa’s first-team squad and was an unused substitute for their 4-1 defeat at West Brom in November 2018.
He was named in three further matchday squads before being handed his Championship debut when he started Leeds’ 3-2 win at Aston Villa in December 2018.
Davis came off the bench in league wins over Derby, Rotherham and Swansea and started their FA Cup third-round defeat at QPR.
He also featured regularly for the under-23s who were crowned Professional Development League champions and reached the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup.
Davis came off the bench as Leeds opened their 2019/20 Championship campaign with a 3-1 win at Bristol City and started against Salford and Stoke in the first two rounds of the Carabao Cup.
He made two further substitute appearances in wins over QPR and Blackburn as Leeds won promotion to the Premier League after lifting the Championship title.
Davis started as Leeds exited the 2020/21 Carabao Cup after going out on penalties against Hull City in the second round in September 2020.
And he made his Premier League debut when he replaced Mateusz Klich in the 77th minute of Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Elland Road in October 2020.
Davis made his second top-flight appearance when he came off the bench to replace Liam Cooper in the second half of Leeds’ 6-2 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford in December 2020.
Davis featured regularly for Leeds in Premier League 2 in 2020/21 and also made two appearances in the EFL Trophy, starting against Barrow and Blackpool.
