The Sun’s Martin Lipton has revealed that the feeling at Tottenham Hotspur is that Djed Spence will not return to the club.
There was plenty of excitement sounding Tottenham’s capture of Spence 18 months ago, with the Lilywhites signing the youngster on the back of his breakthrough season on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship.
While the right-back’s talent was there for all to see, there were murmurs of some attitude problems even during his Middlesbrough days, with Neil Warnock suggesting a couple of years ago that the youngster could find himself in non-league if he does not improve his conduct (The Express).
Those problems reared their head again during the 23-year-old’s spell at Elland Road, with Daniel Farke admitting that Leeds’ decision to terminate the right-back’s loan spell prematurely was down to disciplinary issues (Joe Donnohue).
It has since emerged over the last couple of weeks that Ange Postecoglou has been unimpressed with Spence’s behaviour since pre-season, with there being question marks about his punctuality and his attitude in training (The Standard).
The young full-back has joined Genoa on a loan deal until the end of the season, with the Italian club having the option to sign him permanently for £8.5m in the summer (Fabrizio Romano).
Djed Spence will not return to Tottenham Hotspur
Lipton has revealed that based on his information, we have already seen the last of Spence in a Tottenham shirt.
The journalist told The Spurs Show podcast: “Spence has gone to Genoa, never to return, from what I’m hearing. There seems to be issues. I’m hearing things that suggest he has a lot of maturity left to find let’s just say.”
Spurs Web Opinion
While Postecoglou’s footballing philosophy is vastly different to Mourinho and Conte’s, the Australian has arguably proven to be even more of a disciplinarian than his two predecessors.
His treatment of the likes of Ndombele and Spence shows that he values players’ character above all and does not tolerate anyone who does not give their 100 per cent in training.