From an outcast to outstanding

Djed Spence looked like a lost cause after six months at Tottenham Hotspur. The then 22-year-old was shipped out on loan to Rennes, Leeds and Genoa, and every time he returned it looked increasingly unlikely that the fullback had a place in the manager’s first team picture. Especially with Spence unable to fully assert himself in Rennes or Leeds’ starting XI.

That was until this season when various injuries left the entirety of Tottenham Hotspur’s backline unavailable at some stage of the campaign. Primarily deployed as a left back to cover for Destiny Udogie (but flexible enough to play on either side of a back line) Spence has made 15 appearances come early February. Which includes eight full 90s in the Premier League and EFL Cup since December.

No Premier League player completed more successful dribbles (9) or won more duels (16) than Djed Spence in #GW22. 🏃‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/xS5X2zQlfY

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 21, 2025

A POTM performance at Brentford

His season peaked last weekend when he was voted player of the match for an impeccable performance in Spurs’ 2-0 win over Brentford. Stating that he ‘backs himself against anyone’ in a postmatch interview, Spence’s confidence seemed all that was missing from his spell at Tottenham until now. He was not all talk either, triumphing on many occasions against Bryan Mbeumo in a fierce battle on the wing.

The 24-year-old was seen galavanting forward on Sunday, joining in with attacks by utilising his pace. His extreme speed also made it appear that he was defending effortlessly, tracking back to win balls as well as helping to keep a clean sheet by winning headers and making clearances. Spence is beginning to enjoy the Postecoglou fullback role that Udogie and Pedro Porro have mastered and will give Ange a big selection headache in the future when all three are fit.

A POTM performance from Djed Spence 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Wb8SdhH2M7

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 3, 2025

Statistics behind the success

Spence excels in the Spurs squad in areas such as successful take-ons, with the fullback averaging 2.5 per 90 in the Premier League, by far the highest total in the squad. Highlighting his defensive capabilities is his 1.84 blocks per 90, another figure that sits highly in the Spurs squad.

The positives Spence can draw from this season continue, as he also scored his first goal for the Lilywhites, a late equaliser that sparked an injury-time comeback against Coventry in the League Cup. Other defensive players have been given the chance to impress amid Tottenham’s injury crisis - such as Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin - yet no one has grabbed that opportunity quite like Spence. It’s as if a perfect Ange player was drafted into the team 12 months before the Australian arrived at the club.

Djed Spence vs Brentford:

-32/37 accurate passes
-2 chances created
-3/3 successful dribbles
-4 passes into the final third
-3/4 tackles won
-5 clearances
-3 headed clearances
-7 ball recoveries
-7/9 ground duels won
-1/1 aerial duels won

Man of the match. pic.twitter.com/yWZSkY8P4h

— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) February 2, 2025

Tough beginnings

It is easy to forget that Spence was originally brought into the club in uncomfortable circumstances. Antonio Conte, the club’s head coach at the time, publicly announced that the youngster was not a signing he picked and that it was an “investment” by the club. Perhaps a valid explanation behind why he was loaned away so soon after. Finally though, after two seasons of disappointment, the potential Spence showed in Nottingham Forest’s special promotion season is coming to the surface.

🇮🇹Antonio Conte says Djed Spence was a club signing rather than personal target:

🗣"Spence is an investment of the club. The club wanted to do it. I said okay this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us." #THFC #COYSpic.twitter.com/Ny1Da9NzWt

— Last Word On Spurs (@LastWordOnSpurs) July 19, 2022