Mark Smith

Tue 18 January 2022 11:15, UK

Leeds United have now been joined by Tottenham as well as Arsenal in the race to sign Middlesbrough defender Djed Spence.

Sky Sports have shared the latest update (10:46 am) on the Nottingham Forest loanee, who is said to be worth up to £10million.

Spurs are said to have tracked Spence for multiple seasons now and want to boost Antonio Conte’s options at right wing-back.

Leeds are said to have made contact with an enquiry for the right-back, who wouldn’t join up with the Whites instantly.

Spence has already played for Boro and Forest this season, meaning he can’t play for another side this season because of FIFA rules.

That would mean that any club who coughed up the money this month, would need to wait until next summer to get him in and playing.

Heating up.

This is a difficult deal to complete this month, as whichever club decides to go for it won’t get immediate returns from Spence.

Given the interest heating up though, one of these clubs may bite the bullet and throw the cash at Middlesbrough to get it sorted ahead of a potential war in the summer.

Leeds could be smart by moving for a right-back.

Luke Ayling is manning the fort and has been brilliant since his return from injury, but he is at the wrong end of his career.

Many would have tipped Cody Drameh as a shoo-in for that role after Ayling, but given his strange decision to push for a loan exit, that may well have not done his cause much help.

Bringing Spence in could be smart, but based on these updates it certainly won’t be an easy deal to complete for Victor Orta.

In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared if the Whites are in the ‘advanced’ stages of any January signings