‘Fantastic’ Djed Spence should take ‘rare’ chance to join Leeds United over Premier League sides
Leeds United-linked Djed Spence must depart Tottenham this summer if he wants regular game time and rebuild his “stuttered” career at a top Championship side, according to Paul Robinson.
The right-back earned his move to north London following an excellent promotion-winning loan spell with Nottingham Forest from Middlesbrough, subsequently making a £20million move to Antonio Conte’s Spurs.
One year later, the 23-year-old has made just six appearances for Tottenham before being shipped off to Ligue 1 side Rennes where he only managed a further eight games. Despite a poor season, Spence has still attracted interest from Premier League sides this summer, with Football League World reporting (17 August) that he could join Crystal Palace on loan.
However, with Fabrizio Romano claiming (29 August) that a £1million loan fee is enough to give the green light for his move to Elland Road and Phil Hay saying a medical is due in the next 48 hours, Robinson suggests that a move to a promotion-chasing Championship side like Leeds United would be better than a move to a lower-level Premier League outfit.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Robinson said: “Playing for a club like Leeds United is always going to be a huge honour. You’d be playing for one of the biggest football clubs and most supported football clubs in the country.
“Whether you choose to leave Tottenham or not, it doesn’t look like he’s going to get his opportunity again. He certainly didn’t last year.
“At his age and with his stature, his career really does seem to have stuttered. That doesn’t make him a bad player because there’s a reason that Tottenham bought him in the first place.
“Whether the manager there likes him now, whether Antonio Conte wanted him, that’s another conversation, but he’s a fantastic young talent and I suspect if he’s not getting his game time he probably needs to leave and look for football elsewhere.
“Then you have the question of personal ambition. Do you go to a so-called lesser team in the Premier League that are looking to stay in the Premier League in the bottom six fighting relegation, or do you go to a bigger club in the Championship that’s looking to get out and be part of a promotion campaign?
“It’s personal preference and the opportunity to play for a club like Leeds United is rare. Opportunities like that don’t come around too often.”
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are on the verge of signing a Bundesliga 2 talent.