Tottenham Hotspur could end one of Antonio Conte’s biggest nightmares for just £10m this summer.
During the winter transfer window, the north London outfit were linked with a move for Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence, who has been impressing out on loan to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest.
He has played a huge part under their new manager, Steve Cooper, helping the Reds knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup and project them firmly into the promotion race.
It’s thought that Spurs failed with two bids for him on deadline day but now an encouraging claim has emerged that will be music to the ears of sporting director Fabio Paratici and the Italian head coach too.
According to Eurosport transfer insider Dean Jones, the 21-year-old gem could be available for a very low fee, despite likely competition in his signature.
“There’s going to be a lot of competition to sign him, but Middlesbrough are open to the idea of him leaving permanently,” he told GIVEMESPORT, “I think it’s £10m, I was told, that was the figure, which isn’t that bad for a Premier League club to be signing a player at that level.”
Conte was reportedly very keen to sign a new right wing-back in January due to doubts over Emerson Royal’s ability to fulfil the role and the Lilywhites’ embarrassing 3-2 defeat to Southampton in midweek was another cold reminder of why he feels that way.
The Brazil international played a devastating role in arguably all three of the goals they conceded, being horribly out of place inside the box and failing to clear his lines.
It’s also telling that he still continues to get the nod over Matt Doherty, so it’s easy to see why the 52-year-old wants a new option and he could find the perfect solution in Spence, who was recently lauded as a “constant threat” by ex-Premier League winner Wes Morgan.
Spence currently rates out amongst Forest’s top five performers in the Championship, having also averaged 1.6 interceptions (second-best) and 1.5 tackles per game, whilst further forward he can also contribute in abundance, where he has registered an average of 1.7 successful dribbles and 0.9 key passes per outing, too (via WhoScored).
He more than held his own up against the Gunners and his performance that day led to high praise indeed.
“But let me say, that was one of the best right-back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time,” Arsenal legend Ian Wright told his podcast and he later added: “I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”
For just £10m, Spurs could well be getting themselves an absolute bargain and ultimately, he would fill one of Conte’s biggest problems at the club right now.
Homegrown, bags of potential and very consistent, the swashbuckling Spence must be signed in the summer at all costs.
AND in other news, Forget Sanchez: £15.3m-rated Spurs lightweight who won 50% duels badly let Conte down…