Djed Spence and Glen Kamara set for rapid ‘impact’ at Leeds United after respective Tottenham and Rangers exits
Glen Kamara and Djed Spence have been backed to “quickly establish themselves” in the Leeds United side and make an “impact” on the team, by Dean Jones.
The ex-Eurosport journalist told GIVEMESPORT (9 September) that the two late-window arrivals at Elland Road were “really big signings” for Daniel Farke while both have something to prove after falling out of favour at Rangers and Tottenham respectively.
Spence has come in on a season-long loan from Spurs after seeing just 41 minutes of action for the London side before a loan to Rennes in Ligue 1, while Kamara was no longer part of Michael Beale’s plans at Ibrox and hadn’t featured at all through preseason or to start the campaign.
Jones said: “I think Kamara and Spence will quickly establish themselves in that team and make their impact on it. They were two really big signings for them in the transfer window and two big areas of focus, too.
“Both players have plenty to prove and that’s another reason why they were signed. Kamara needs to get himself going again, and Djed Spence has just been stale for so long now at Tottenham.
“He wanted to get going, so he decided that coming down to the Championship and taking this move was the best one for him.”
Reinforcements
Both the new Whites look set to have a far greater role than they have been afforded recently, with Spence’s debut off the bench against Sheffield Wednesday impressing already and suggesting that Luke Ayling faces a battle to keep his place.
The former Nottingham Forest stand-out has excelled before in the Championship and if he can recreate that form it will soften the bizarre decision to endlessly overlook Cody Drameh before his latest, and presumably final, exit this year.
Kamara’s late arrival, just hours after fellow midfielder Ilia Gruev from Werder Bremen, expanded Farkes options greatly at a position of need, and he also performed a late cameo against the Owls.
The German has been forced to start 22-year-old summer signing from Chelsea Ethan Ampadu alongside 17-year-old Archie Gray for every game so far this season after Leeds lost their entire senior midfield during the transfer window.
Finland international Kamara may take some time to get up to full speed having been left out of first-team proceedings in Glasgow since the end of last season.
But he did feature for his country over the international break, so with Gray potentially needing some rotation after being thrown in at the deep end to start his senior career, both Kamara and Gruev should have a chance to impress sooner rather than later.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared an update on the dreaded release clause situation for next summer, with one player mooted to potentially be an “issue” again.