Spurs coach suggests playing 22-year-old could ‘create a problem’, Conte hasn’t started him once

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Djed Spence is waiting for his Tottenham Hotspur chance and Antonio Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini has explained why he’s on the fringes.

Antonio Conte loves to play with wing backs and Tottenham had to recruit in order for him to play that way.

Ivan Perisic came in on the left flank having worked under Conte in Italy with Inter Milan.

On the right side, Djed Spence arrived from Middlesbrough having impressed on loan at Nottingham Forest.

Spence was outstanding last season as Forest won promotion but his start to life at Tottenham has been difficult.

Djed Spence is waiting for his Tottenham Hotspur chance

Many thought that Tottenham would sell one of Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty having secured the signing of Spence.

Yet the deadline passed without either player leaving Tottenham and that has resulted into a real logjam at right wing back.

Emerson plays more often than not but Doherty has been utilised there of late.

Perisic being right-footed doesn’t help Spence either as he has sometimes been utilised on the right side.

All of this means that Spence has played just three minutes of action for Tottenham this season.

Tottenham fans are begging for Spence to be given a chance, especially with Emerson still looking pretty poor in the final third.

That chance hasn’t come yet but Tottenham take on Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup tonight, which feels like a great chance for Spence to play.

Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini faced the media on Tuesday and was unsurprisingly asked about Spence’s situation.

Speaking to Football London, Stellini suggested that Spence is working hard every day to try and push himself into contention.

Stellini did though highlight that players coming from the Championship need more time and throwing young players into the first team can ‘create a problem’ for the player if they’re not ready.

The Italian noted that Spence will play when the time is right and fans will be praying that tonight is the night.

“For our young players, every game is the game because we trust in them, but they are young players,” said Stellini. “If we think the EFL Cup is an important competition, we need the players who are ready to play this type of game. It’s a knockout game and Djed Spence is one of those for sure, because he works hard every day.”

“But sometimes they need time. Not every player is the same. Sometimes some players that arrive from another league like the Championship and they need more time to be ready, but we are happy with Djed. Really happy because he works hard, but he needs time and we need to take the right decision for him. Sometimes with young players you have to be careful. If you hurry to use this type of player you can create a problem for them. So when will be the right time, Djed Spence will play,” he added.