Nottingham Forest are resigned to Tottenham Hotspur signing Djed Spence after Antonio Conte stepped up his interest, so how have Championship players fared at Spurs recently?
Spence helped fire Forest into the Premier League via the play-offs this season after joining on loan from Middlesbrough. The full-back left the Riverside for the City Ground in August in a year-long move, during which his efforts caught the attention of many top-flight clubs.
But according to the Express, Tottenham are set to ramp up their interest in Spence as the north Londoners bid to beat Nottingham Forest to securing a transfer with Middlesbrough. At least five rival top-flight clubs are also tracking developments with the England U21 ace.
Nottingham Forest doubt Spence return as Tottenham ramp up interest in Boro star
Boro are demanding £15m to sell the right-back, who offered five assists and scored twice in 39 regular-season Championship appearances for Forest. He also scored once in four FA Cup ties while impressing against Arsenal, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town and Liverpool.
Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici has personally watched Spence in action with Nottingham Forest – including against Leicester, during which he scored. Now, Spurs are ready to push ahead in negotiations with Middlesbrough and are willing to pay their price.
Steve Cooper remains hopeful Spence will consider returning to the City Ground following their play-off success at Wembley. But the City Ground natives know they face a challenge convincing the London-born dynamo to return against Champions League action at Spurs.
So much so, in fact, that Nottingham Forest are resigned to Tottenham’s interest in Spence leaving Middlesbrough winning out. That could give Conte some good early-window news, as The Northern Echo note he has told Spurs to do whatever it takes to sign the defender.
Tottenham are increasingly confident that Spence will join Conte over Nottingham Forest’s interest in the 21-year-old returning from Middlesbrough. So, with that in mind, how have players who have joined Spurs directly from the Championship previously gone on to fare?
Rodon last Championship player to join Tottenham amid Conte’s interest in Spence
Tottenham last signed a player based on their performances in the Championship with Joe Rodon in October 2020. Jose Mourinho raided Swansea City with an £11m transfer for the centre-half, up to £15m after add-ons. But the Welshman’s Spurs career is yet to take off.
Rodon has so far managed just 24 appearances in all competitions for the north Londoners totalling 1,333 minutes. He has only played the equivalent of 15 full fixtures having started just 14 games. Just eight of his starts and 15 outings have also been in the Premier League.
Conte proved particularly uninterested in Rodon’s potential in the top-flight, with the 25-cap international only featuring twice for a mere eight minutes. The Italian additionally only gave Rodon his league outings in two of Spurs’ final three fixtures against Arsenal and Burnley.
Clarke serves as warning amid Tottenham interest in Spence with maiden start wait
Jack Clarke is still waiting for his maiden start with Spurs since leaving Leeds United in July 2019 for £10m. The 21-year-old has endured a nightmare in north London during the first three years of a four-year contract, having so far only featured four times for 95 minutes.
Each of the winger’s outings have come in cup competitions, too, with two Europa League, one FA Cup and one Europa Conference League qualifying game so far. Instead, Clarke has enjoyed loan spells back at Leeds, plus Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Sunderland.
He joined the Black Cats this January on a half-season deal, having only played 44 minutes of first-team football. Clarke would go on to make 20 outings with Sunderland, including in three play-off games. But he only managed to score once and created four in the third-tier.
Hall never managed Tottenham debut during three years as Spurs player
Grant Hall never managed to make his Tottenham debut during the defender’s three years with Spurs. The north Londoners paid Brighton & Hove Albion £1.5m in compensation in the summer of 2012 after he had snubbed a new contract on the south coast at the age of 20.
But Tottenham would then send Hall on loan to Swindon Town in 2013, Birmingham City in 2014 and Blackpool in 2015. His Seasiders spell proved the final straw for Spurs, who then sold the centre-back to QPR – where Hall remained until 2020 and joining Middlesbrough.
Hall failed to show Tottenham his potential over 19 U23s appearances in 2012/13, before playing 34 times for Swindon, nine for Birmingham and 12 for Blackpool. He enjoyed 130 outings with QPR from 2015 to 2020, though, and has so far featured 28 times with Boro.
Walker became £50m right-back at Spurs after leaving Sheffield United
Kyle Walker became a £50m right-back during his eight years with Tottenham after joining from Sheffield United in 2009. His efforts over 229 games in north London plus loan spells with the Blades, QPR and Aston Villa up to 2011 saw Manchester City pay big in July 2017.
The Citizens agreed a £45m deal, with £5m in add-ons, that made him the most-expensive English player at the time. Walker has since won four Premier League titles plus an FA Cup, four EFL Cups and two Community Shields. He also helped QPR to win the Championship.
Walker had not featured higher than the Championship with Sheffield United before Spurs signed the full-back. He had also only played 40 league games – including nine League One matches on loan at Northampton Town – before moving to north London at 19-years-old.
Naughton enjoyed lesser success after following Walker out of Bramall Lane
Kyle Naughton would enjoy lesser success with Tottenham than Walker would enjoy after following his fellow Sheffield United product from Bramall Lane in 2009. Both joined Spurs in a double swoop after forging key first-team roles in South Yorkshire the previous term.
Naughton made all 50 of his Sheffield United appearances during the 2008/09 season and made the PFA Championship Team of the Year. Yet six years with Spurs would only see the boyhood Blades fan make 75 appearances, with a single-season best of 34 during 2013/14.
Tottenham also loaned Naughton to Middlesbrough in February 2010, Leicester in 2010/11 and Norwich in 2011/12. He eventually left north London for good in January 2015 to join Swansea for £5m, where the former England U21 talent remains today after 259 outings.
Spence, then, may have to hope history does not repeat itself should Tottenham step up Conte’s interest and seal a transfer with Middlesbrough following his efforts on loan with Nottingham Forest, having never featured higher domestically than in the Championship.
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