Middlesbrough head coach Chris Wilder has said that Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur are about to sign Djed Spence, as quoted in GazzetteLive:
Wilder has said that Middlesbrough are happy with the deal that they have made with Tottenham over the transfer of Spence, who can operate as a right-back, right wing-back or right-winger and spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest from Boro.
Fabrizio Romano has reported on Twitter that Spence has passed his medical at Tottenham and will move to the North London club for an initial transfer fee of £12.5 million.
Chris Wilder on Tottenham Hotspur-bound Djed Spence
GazetteLive quotes Wilder as saying about Spence: “It’s a boost for everyone. There has been far too much talk about it, but these deals just don’t happen overnight.
“It’s a big number for a player that has not played for us. He had a fabulous season [at Nottingham Forest], everyone knows that.
“Tottenham were the only show in town, so they could hang out, which they have done. We needed to hang out, which we have done. Eventually, a deal has been done.
“Tottenham will feel they’ve got a very good deal for a young player, we feel we’ve got a great deal to get the money we’ve got for a player who has hardly played for the first-team here. Forest didn’t come in for him, nobody else came in for him, Tottenham were the only show in town.
“So that made it quite difficult for Neil [Bausor] and Steve [Gibson] to get the right number, but they did and they’re comfortable with it. As far as I’m concerned, he’s gone, I don’t have to speak about it again and we move on.”
Good deal
In our view, Chris Wilder’s comments on Djed Spence suggest that both Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough are happy with the deal.
Spence was not going to play (much) for Boro this season, and it seems that the Championship club have got a decent transfer fee for him.
Tottenham will feel pleased with the £12.5 million they have to pay, as it is quite low.
Yes, Spence does not have experience of playing in the Premier League, but he is only 21 and could improve a lot under head coach Antonio Conte.
Spence made 41 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship during his loan spell at Nottingham Forest last season.
The youngster scored two goals and gave four assists in those games.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
