Tottenham update emerges on Djed Spence future after loan exit to Leeds United that ended Cody Drameh’s Elland Road career
The door is “still very much open” for Djed Spence at Tottenham but he “has to take” his opportunity on loan at Leeds United, according to Charlie Eccleshare.
The Athletic journalist reported via Twitter on 15 September that the Elland Road loanee is far from finished in the eyes of his parent club, while his report for The Athletic website with Phil Hay notes the London club still “believe in his potential”.
The 23-year-old has only seen 41 minutes of action at Spurs since his move from Middlesbrough a year ago, but the Whites loan is not seen as the beginning of the end at this stage.
Leeds United have pushed the boat out themselves in bringing the former Nottingham Forest stand-out to West Yorkshire, as The Athletic report notes that his arrival resulted in “effectively ending” Cody Drameh’s career with the club.
The two young right wing-backs were both coming through at Fulham a number of years ago before one headed to Middlesbrough and the other to Leeds.
Spence was in line to make his full Whites debut against Millwall this weekend but Daniel Farke revealed on Friday that he is now a “major doubt” due to a ligament issue picked up in training.
Short stay
While Spurs have Pedro Porro and Emerson Royal in the squad it would be a surprise for them to cut the chord on Spence after just one season where he hardly played and spent half the campaign on loan in France with Rennes.
But from a Leeds point of view it could be an issue since it suggests the club could be heading into the summer transfer window at the end of the season with Drameh gone, Spence gone, and possibly even Luke Ayling gone.
Drameh’s Whites contract expires at that point and he is on loan at Birmingham City until then, and while Spence looks dynamic and effective there is an argument to say it was an unnecessary move to sacrifice the younger man to bring him in.
Veteran Ayling is 32 and currently on a one-year extension that expires at the same time, so while he may get another one next summer he isn’t the long-term answer at the club.
There may be scope for Leeds to convince Tottenham to sell Spence, but he won’t be especially cheap and the paradox is that the better he performs in the Championship this term the more likely they will be to bring him back.
For the short-term he should be a very useful option for Farke once he’s fit, but if Spurs still plan to keep him it raises the alarming possibility of Rasmus Kristensen being the only right-back in the first-team squad come the end of the season as the Dane struggles on loan at Roma.
In other Leeds United news, a free agent signing is still on the cards at Elland Road following the close of the transfer window.