"Alphonso Davies is the fastest player at Bayern Munich" - Lothar Matthäus
Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies is a top-level alternative to David Alaba and Kingsley Coman on Bayern Munich's left-hand side, according to club legend Lothar Matthäus.
Davies made six senior appearances in a Bayern shirt during the second half of 2018/19 following his January move from Vancouver Whitecaps, before catching Matthäus' eye in pre-season.
The 18-year-old featured in games against Real Madrid and AC Milan, scored in the Audi Cup draw with Tottenham Hotspur, and came off the bench in the Supercup defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Watch: Alphonso Davies on his ambitions at Bayern
"I believe he's a future Bayern player and Bayern really believe in him, but he has to learn," Matthäus told ProSoccer USA.
"Coming from MLS to one of the biggest clubs in the world is a big step. He just needs time."
Although Davies was brought to Bayern as a long-term attacking option on the flanks, he has scored both of his goals for the club to date - against Mainz on Bundesliga Matchday 26 last term and Tottenham in the pre-season Audi Cup - when operating as a left-back.
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It is also the position he tends to play for John Herdman's Canada, and Matthäus believes switching between roles at such a young age will only enhance his game.
"I think it's good," Matthäus said. "I used to do the same with players when I was a coach to teach them how to play defence. He has to learn how to play in defence, and this is good training for him.
"Sure, he makes two, three mistakes in defence, but he will learn from it and they will push him to have another option at left-back."
Whilst recognising Davies' suitability to Bayern's left-back berth occupied by David Alaba, Matthäus believes the Canadian's talents are best served on the left wing.
"Niko Kovac knows that Davies is not a left-back and that he prefers the left-wing position, like Kingsley Coman," the 1990 Ballon d'Or winner explained.
"When Coman has a problem, Davies plays on that position further up and he is very good. Sure, he has to improve his passing, but he is only 18 years old.
"I think he is the fastest player at Bayern at the moment."
Davies has accumulated 29 minutes of Bundesliga action in his preferred left-wing role, with a one-minute cameo on the opposite flank sandwiching his historic 31-minute foray on the left-hand side of the Bayern defence against Mainz.
The Canadian prodigy hit the back of the net 11 minutes after replacing Alaba in the second half of the 6-0 rout at the Allianz Arena, becoming Bayern's first scorer born in the 2000s and the club's youngest in almost 20 years.
He is also the first Canadian national to play and score for Bayern.
Davies could make his eighth competitive appearance as a Bayern player when the record champions begin their Bundesliga title defence against Hertha Berlin on 16 August.
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