Djed Spence’s swashbuckling surges might have caught the eye at Middlesbrough but, in Tuesday’s Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers, a young right-back compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold showcased his talents at the other end of the pitch too.
A rejuvenated Boro side are now just five points off the top of the table and dreaming of a Warnock-inspired, Cardiff-style success story.
Their status as play-off dark-horses was strengthened further with a creditable clean sheet against the most prolific team in England’s second tier at the Riverside.
Not for the first time this season, it was an ever-improving 20-year-old who caught the eye with a performance full of energy, drive and defensive diligence.
“If you look at one or two of the full-backs that are around now – the lad at Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the lad at Manchester United from Palace (Aaron Wan-Bissaka) – they are all the same type as Djed,” Warnock told the Northern Echo recently.
“He does have enormous ability, and when you’ve got ability like that it’s criminal if you don’t get to the very top.”
If reports are to be believed, Spence could be heading, if not immediately to ‘the top’, then for a substantial a step up the footballing ladder in the January transfer window.
TEAMtalk reports that Premier League trio Everton, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all interested.
Newcastle United are also allegedly planning a contentious raid of their near neighbours, with owner Mike Ashley planning to make Tyneside home to some of the most exciting young talents in England (Echo).
Just days after scoring only his second senior goal in a 2-0 triumph over Coventry, Spence did his burgeoning reputation no harm at all with another stand-out display.
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