According to the very reliable, David Ornstein, Spurs have had a breakthrough in their pursuit for Djed Spence and are on the verge of agreeing deal with Middlesbrough.
According to The Athletic, there have been successful series of talks between Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, Middlesbrough’s chief Steve Gibson, and Spence’s agent Scott Smith and the lingering transfer saga is finally coming to an end.
The England Under 21 international could have a medical at Spurs within the next 48 hours if the deal finalises. He will become Antonio Conte’s 6th signing of the summer having already secured the arrivals of Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Fraser Forster, and Clement Lenglet.
And if rumours are to be believed, this is not the end of Spurs’ transfer business. According to reports, Spurs are in the market for another centre-back as well as a ‘luxury’ signing which is expected to be done before the transfer window shuts.
Even Sky mentioned this deal a weeks ago, before they mentioned Richarlison, so there must be something in it. Why it is taking so long if the deal is a goer?
Looks like blue didnt want him
Absolutely, the lad would have benefitted from going to Korea with his new work pals to the tune of WAY more than the couple of million quid Levy is saving – which to put it in perspective is about what we have paid Tanguy since the end of the season.
Signing a 21 year old noob from the championship for £15m seems to have become the transfer saga of the summer.
If we dawdled on that deal he’d be wearing blue (as per usual), the most non Levy transfer ever tbh
I think the main hope is that this getting done might then allow for a focus on further transfers
Everyone’s worry is that this lad could turn out to be the next Sessegnon. With good reason too, as Sessegnon was held in equally high regard on the back of tearing up the Championship, but has not lived up to expectations.
When punts turn out great (Bowen at West Ham and Robertson at Liverpool) the world is a better place for fans, but how often do these low grade transfers turn out to be any good…….and is £20m low grade! Even Spurs’ ‘blue chip’ transfers have been terrible, but this had more to do with Hitchen and Levy’s scouting network, therefore should we put more faith in Paratici? With Bents, Kulu, Bissouma, Romero, Grumpcharlison and Perisic we have had a noticeable change in quality coming in. I am yet to be convinced by Lenglet, but as a left sided CB he is an upgrade on Davies.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t expect Spence to start, we are Champions League after all, but considering the faltering options at RWB I think we as fans deserve someone who can not only run for 90 mins, but cross a ball with a soupcon of quality-something Doherty and Royal cannot do. Can Spence be worse? I think if he comes to us and has a disappointing start he could lose confidence and turn in to another player who didn’t make the grade at Spurs, and there have been far too many of those in recent years.
I know Conte has seen an upturn in Doherty and Royal, but he did start from a very low base. This RWB position is the keystone, imagine what we would become with a good RWB having already strengthened in midfield, CB and top 3. We just have to wait and see what Paratici and Levy bring in, but how hard should it be to bring in a Championship player? This has dragged on longer than De Jong to Man Utd. Arguing over a few quid when we have paid £10m over the odds with Richarlison is embarrassing and has Levy’s grubby little fingerprints all over it.
If anyone is in any doubt about the way Daniel Levy has wreaked havoc through the transfer dealings of the club and the consequences of his actions, its vividly portrayed in this (yawn) saga.
On the one hand we have Paratici/Conte getting players in in time for pre-season training and the tour, with a view that we will field our best side come season kick-off, on the other we have Levy faffing around with a player who has not done the same high level training, has not integrated with the squad on tour and not been coached in the playing style Conte wants and how he’ll fit into it.
How many times have we started the season with the squad barely introduced to new players (when we actually got anyone over the line)? It’s just as well they have names on the shirts really.
Additionally, this kid Spence is being built up to be something really special; “unbelievable” is the term being bandied about. He may be a damned good prospect, but how damaging is it to him to be built up the way he has been, largely due to the protracted negotiations that have elevated him to such a level of expectation?
We may well buy this kid, but have already screwed him over by creating a scenario where he is behind his team-mates in terms of fitness, knowledge of tactics/strategy, familiarity with the players around him and how they play and an albatross called “unbelievable” around his neck. Remember he’s a kid who is stepping up from a much lower standard to what is pretty much the pinnacle of professional football.
By the time this gets done, IF it gets done, Bissouma, Richarlison etc., will be integrated into the squad, he’ll be an outsider…….BUT….
………….Danny boy will have saved Three Pounds and Seventy Two Pence (amortised over a five year contract).
Is this even an upgrade? Hope Conte wants him and it’s not another Levy ‘bargain.’
believe it when it happens