With Djed Spence attracting interest from Everton and Tottenham linked with Neco Williams, we have now put their numbers against each other to see how they compare.
Tottenham Hotspur could see several players leave during this summer’s transfer window as their squad rebuild continues.
Already, four players have departed: Alfie Devine, Luka Vuskovic, Alejo Veliz and Radu Dragusin.
However, the expectation is that there could be further departures, with several Spurs players still attracting interest from elsewhere.
One such player is Djed Spence, who is on Everton’s radar. The Toffees have been showing interest in the Spurs full-back for some time, and his latest World Cup performances will only fuel that speculation further.
Everton are reportedly looking to sign Spence for £25 million, while Spurs fans are not convinced by David Moyes’ side’s valuation.
Reports, though, suggest Spurs are now keen on Nottingham Forest full-back Neco Williams, and we have decided to compare the numbers between the Forest defender and Spence.
Tottenham target Neco Williams compared with Djed Spence
It is worth noting that both players are incredibly versatile, capable of playing on either side as either a left-back or right-back.
Spence has played more games across a wider range of positions throughout his career. Nevertheless, the positions both players have occupied are remarkably similar.
Spence has featured at right-back, left-back, right midfield, left midfield, right wing and centre-back.
Williams has also played in all of those positions, making him a genuine like-for-like replacement should Tottenham decide to move Spence on this summer.
| Position | Djed Spence (Apps/Goals/Assists) | Neco Williams (Apps/Goals/Assists) |
|---|---|---|
| Right-back | 109 / 4 / 5 | 151 / 6 / 18 |
| Left-back | 65 / 1 / 2 | 69 / 1 / 5 |
| Right midfield | 75 / 3 / 4 | 21 / 1 / 1 |
| Left midfield | 8 / 0 / 0 | 7 / 1 / 2 |
| Right winger | 7 / 0 / 0 | 3 / 0 / 0 |
| Centre-back | 1 / 0 / 0 | 2 / 0 / 0 |
Interestingly, though, Williams stands out as the more productive player in terms of attacking output despite the two full-backs being the same age.
Across their careers so far, Spence has registered eight goals and 12 assists in 287 appearances, while Williams has recorded nine goals and 26 assists in 286 appearances.
Based purely on attacking output, Williams has the stronger record of the two.
Djed Spence and Neco Williams’ 2025/26 comparison
Moving on to the underlying numbers, it makes for even more interesting reading.
Last season both players featured heavily for their respective clubs.
The pair also found themselves in similar situations, with Spurs and Nottingham Forest locked in relegation battles for much of the campaign.
They also played under different managers with contrasting styles, but Williams remained the more consistent presence for his side.
The Welsh international featured in 37 of Nottingham Forest’s 38 league matches and accumulated around 1,000 more minutes than Spence did for Tottenham.
| Category | Djed Spence | Neco Williams |
| Squad appearances | 34 | 37 |
| Starts | 23 | 36 |
| Substitute appearances | 7 | 1 |
| Unused substitute | 4 | 0 |
| Suspensions | 0 | 1 |
| Injuries | 4 | 0 |
| Other absences | 0 | 0 |
| Minutes played | 2,338 | 3,541 |
| Goals | 0 | 2 |
| Assists | 0 | 3 |
| Goal contributions | 0 | 5 |
During that time, Spence did not register a single goal contribution, while Williams produced two goals and three assists for Nottingham Forest.
The underlying numbers also highlight just how different the influence of each player was across the campaign.
| Metric | Djed Spence | Neco Williams |
| Cross completion percentile | 43.6 | 69.1 |
| Expected assists (xA) percentile | 23.4 | 54.4 |
| Progressive passes percentile | 22.9 | 41.4 |
| Possession won percentile | 26.9 | 91.0 |
| Defensive duel success percentile | 26.9 | 39.7 |
| Aerial duel success percentile | 61.8 | 75.6 |
| Progressive carries percentile | 95.0 | 70.8 |
| Minutes | 2,338 | 3,541 |
The numbers suggest each player excels in different areas.
Spence’s standout attribute at Tottenham is his ball-carrying ability. Ranking in the 95th percentile for progressive carries highlights just how effective he is at driving his side up the pitch with possession and progressing attacks through his running.
This quality was on display for England in the clash against Norway, where Spence carried the ball from deep and won a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR.
Williams, meanwhile, offers a far more rounded statistical profile. He ranks comfortably ahead in crossing, chance creation, progressive passing, possession won, aerial success, and overall attacking output.
His availability also proved a major asset, featuring virtually every week while contributing five goal involvements from full-back.
Based solely on last season’s statistics, Williams emerges as the stronger all-round performer. Spence remains an excellent ball carrier with athletic qualities that suit transition football, but Williams offered greater consistency, durability, creativity and end product across the campaign.