Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel has revealed that there was concern around Tottenham Hotspur that top target Djed Spence was considering a move to Premier League new-boys Nottingham Forest over the top-four side but favours a move to Spurs now.
While Spurs have already signed four players this summer with relative ease, one of their most linked targets, Spence, has failed to sign with the club yet despite the need for a wing-back to compete with the likes of Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty next season.
The deal is yet to be completed and despite the player now wanting the move to the North London outfit, Mokbel revealed that 21-year-old was feeling apprehensive about it and was considering a move to Nottingham Forest, where he played last season.
He said on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, “There was a little bit of concern at one point, I’m led to believe, that he was perhaps leaning towards staying with Nottingham Forest. I could see the merits in the way he was thinking because he would definitely be guaranteed starts at Nottingham Forest.
He would definitely play there week in, week out. I think if you’re coming to Tottenham the set-up in class is so high that you kind of going into the unknown a little bit… there was a comfort at Nottingham Forest where he knew he’d be playing every week. But now I think he has picked Tottenham as his preferred destination.” (16:56)
TIF Thoughts on Mokbel’s comments…
A move to a top Premier League side can always be an intimidating and daunting move for any player, especially with some of the failed transfers we have seen recently like Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea.
However, after his performances last season where he averaged an impressive 1.5 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, one key pass, 2.7 dribbles, and 1.2 long balls per game with 76.1% passing accuracy, he should be able to fit into the side fairly easily under wing-back guru Antonio Conte.
He may well have seen a move to Forest as the safer option for his maiden season in the Premier League, but a move to a Champions League side like Spurs will surely be better for him in the long term.
Who should Spence sign for?Spurs
Forest
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