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BBC Sport pundit hails ‘standout’ player who is linked with Tottenham and impressed Mourinho

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Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Middlesbrough defender Djed Spence.

Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur competes for the ball with Djed Spence of Middlesbrough FC during the FA Cup Third Round Replay match between Tottenham Hotspur  and Middlesbrough FC at...

Martin Keown has admitted that he has been impressed with the character shown by reported Tottenham Hotspur target Djed Spence after previously being released by Fulham in 2018.

The BBC Sport pundit claimed that during Tottenham’s two FA Cup matches against Middlesbrough, right-back Spence was the ‘standout’ player for his side.

As reported by the Standard, Tottenham have shown interest in Spence after Spurs manager, Jose Mourinho, was impressed with the youngster when he first saw him at the Riverside Stadium.

Speaking to Match of the Day on BBC One (14/01/20 at 7:55 pm start), Keown was impressed by what he saw from Spence when he came up against Spurs.

“Sometimes when you are in these situations [being released] it comes down to character whether or not someone has got what it really takes and he’s showing he has it,” Keown told BBC Sport.

“He was probably Middlebrough’s standout player over both games against Tottenham.”

Djed Spence of Middlesbrough FC gestures during the FA Cup Third Round Replay match between Tottenham Hotspur  and Middlesbrough FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 14, 2020 in...

Given that Spence was released by Fulham, he has done very well for himself to become a regular at a Championship club and now seemingly impress Premier League clubs.

One thing that will fall in Spence’s favour, in regards to the interest in him from Spurs, is that he is a performing right-back and Mourinho is in need of that at this moment in time.

Competiton and extra depth is needed for Serge Aurier, who is the only senior right-back at the club following the departure of Keiran Trippier in the summer.

But the Boro youngster has to do a lot in order for Tottenham to want to sign him because they have shown, with the signing of Ryan Sessegnon for example, that they are willing to push for the top, top players who are impressing in the second-tier.

Djed Spence of Middlesbrough  during the FA Cup Third Round Replay match between Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 14, 2020 in London, England.