Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for right-winger Djed Spence for what feels like forever. The 21-year-old has been a transfer target since before the start of the new year, a young athlete with a high ceiling who Spurs view as a player who could become a top Premier League player.
However, there is a problem. Spence’s hometown club Middlesbrough have loaned him to compatriot Nottingham Forest, and Forest have just been promoted to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. Now Forest are exceptionally keen to keep Spence for his first Premier League campaign since 1999.
Forest are expected to try to make Djed Spence permanent (shock!) after the promotion, but Spurs are also among those interested. Understand that there has been no contact between Spurs and Boro yet. Believe Boro in line for £££ from Forest promotion due to terms of loan deal https://t.co/GkOOYfzBus
— Tom Barclay (@TomBarclay_) May 30, 2022
I’ll be honest and say I don’t quite understand why Spurs are so keen on Spence – I watched the Championship play-off final between Forest and Huddersfield, and while Djed has potential, he hasn’t showed a lot that convinced me. he could make the jump to top-flight Premier League football next season. There’s an argument that if Spurs were to sign him he could be loaned straight to a lower level Premier League club (perhaps Forest?) for a year of top-flight experience and that’s Spurs who are looking to the long term.
But Spence has obviously enjoyed his year at Forest and seems keen to stay. This could complicate a potential transfer from Tottenham as it effectively forces a bidding war. I have no doubt Spurs could blow Forest out of the water if they wanted to, but it comes down to whether it’s worth paying (or overpaying) a significant sum for a player who might not be a first-choice RWB next season. Middlesbrough, of course, would be delighted for Forest and Spurs to fight for Spence.
I do not know. Maybe there’s something about Spence that I don’t see, maybe Spurs see him as one of those low-risk, high-reward young players to target, or maybe Conte just want it. If it is the latter, I am happy to remain silent on this transfer; Conte has earned the right to make whatever transfer decisions he deems necessary and knows a lot more about football than I ever will.
But there are plenty of decent options at the position, and there could come a time when a bidding war pushes Spence’s price beyond what Spurs are reasonably able to afford. We’ll have to see what happens next, but what looked like a simple seizure of a Championship club may have become much more complicated.
