Keinan Davis never expected to end up in Italy but became an Udinese hero after spells with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Watford when his hope was once playing for Stevenage
Almost 12 months ago Keinan Davis became a legend in the north east of Italy. A single goal across eight appearances in a debut season is not typically the stuff of folklore but in football it only takes a second to change everthing.
A season marred by injury had seen the former Aston Villa ace confined to the gym and fleeting minutes. But on the final day of the season, with 75 minutes on the clock away against Frosinone, Davis took control of the situation and pounced.
One goal for Davis. The goal that kept Udinese in Serie A. Euphoria. Redemption. Relief.
“We were struggling and I couldn’t help and I’m here to help,” Davies told Mirror Football. “It just feels like I was letting my teammates down, letting myself down. To score that goal felt written.”
And as the Stevenage-born star slid across the grass, shirtless he found his place in the hearts of Udinese supporters.
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“I’d played 10 minutes at the end. They didn’t really know who I was and then to score such a huge goal for that group of fans, it was big. When I got home that night, there were posters in my door in my apartment – people who lived in the same apartment as me they said thank you. So yeah, it was good.”
In that moment Davis found his home. But life in Italy was not always on the cards for the 27-year-old. At 17 he was released by Stevenage and found himself undertaking a barbering apprenticeship before earning a place at Aston Villa, learning from John Terry’s ‘mannerisms, how he works, and the intensity in training’.
“Obviously growing up when you’re young and being from Stevenage… Serie A, I never ever imagined it,” Davis said. “I just thought I’d hopefully play in the Premier League or in the Championship or just play in England. I thought I was going to play in Stevenage.”
“In the beginning, I was a bit apprehensive to come,” Davis continued. “I was a bit scared, I’d say, just to leave England behind. But then I spoke to some close people around me. And someone that’s important to me said, ‘would you rather play in the Championship or go and have a crack at Serie A?’“Then I put it into perspective. Yeah, that’s such an easy decision to make. Especially for a team like Udinese as well.”
Udinese’s pedigree of helping to create such legends as Antonio Di Natale and Alexis Sanchez ensured Davis knew the stature of the club he was joining. The ex-Nottingham Forest play-off ace moved across Europe with his girlfriend and daughter and settled into a new home, even if he admittedly doesn’t ‘really like the food too much’ if he’s being honest.
While he’ll be back in Stevenage this summer to see family and friends, part of the Hertfordshire town finds its way into the soul of north east Italy.
“It’s the energy, you know? You see people just walking around and there’s no drama, no trouble,” Davis reflects content. “So it’s just like being at home. It’s relaxed and chill.”
Despite knowing the likes of Christian Kabesele, Hassane Kamara and Maduka Okoye, from a loan spell at Watford, suffering a calf injury soon after his move saw him forced to spend much of his time in the gym rather than fitting in with his team-mates. “I find when you’re playing football out with your teammates you kind of get your respect,” he explained.
“On the pitch your teammates can see what you do, or how good you are, then that like kind of makes your position in the team and you just build your relationship with players in training. Obviously, I’m not training. I’m always in the gym when I was injured or just away from the team. So if I’m a new player, can’t speak the language and I’m not even training with them, they don’t really know me, but I’m just always around.
“So it was tough to be fair. It was difficult because it’s a stressful being injured anyway, not being able to do what you love.”
After that goal against Frosinone however, Davis’ reputation could only grow in Udine. The striker’s second season saw multiple player of the month awards on the way to being named Udinese’s player of 2024. His ears no long burned from people questioning his signing, but from his ear being flicked by his team-mates after backing his boyhood team, Arsenal, to progress in the Champions League vs Paris Saint-Germain.
And with the upturn in his own fortunes came in the opportunity to play with one of his own Gunners heros, as Sanchez made a famous return to Stadio Fruili in August 2024. “It’s surreal to be fair because he’s such a big player and legend of this club,” Davis remarked. “He’s got the low centre of gravity and he’s sharp. He’s not lost that one bit.”
But despite impressing Kosata Runjaic and fans alike, Davis saw his journey halted by injury once again.
“I was getting to my groove. And then I got injured. What made it worse was I got injured and then I trained one day and did the same injury again. That was another four weeks.
“It’s a large chunk of games in that middle bit I missed but I’ve been injured so much that I just know you have to keep going. It doesn’t really matter. Come back then you just go again because as I learnt last year, I kept going and it paid off massively.”
As the season comes to a close, Davis has once again quickly forced himself into Runjaic’s plans and started the last three games. It is unfortunate for him that the summer will soon be thrust upon him when he is raring to go.
But he has still learned a lot and believes he can have an impact. The 27-year-old reckons his attributes are suited to the division and he can operate in a manner akin to Romelu Lukaku and Rafael Leao to take advantage when game opens up from tactical rigidity.
And with his attitude it’s difficult do doubt him. “The key throughout my whole career really is to stay fit so I can just build myself and show people what I can do,” he said. “Whatever you do last year just improve on that the next year individually and collectively as a team.”
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