Spurs hoping Genoa move can spark Spence into life

Loan deal agreed for defender who keeps falling out with managers

- Dan Kilpatrick

This time last year, many Tottenham supporters still hoped Djed Spence was the key to transforming Antonio Conte’s stuttering side, but this morning Spurs were trying to offload the 23-year-old to a mid-table Serie A club in the latest bid to resurrect his flagging career.

Spurs have agreed a deal to send Spence to Genoa on loan as part of a £26 million package for defender Radu Dragusin. Genoa would have an option to make his move permanent for around £8.5m in the summer.

The right-back has been reluctant to go, but Spurs have made it clear that Spence, who has been training with the Under-21s since being sent back from a season-loan loan at Leeds last week, is not part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans, needs game time and may not get a better offer than Genoa this month.

One source even suggested that Spence’s career, at this level at least, is already in jeopardy.

It has been quite a fall for Spence, who was outstanding on loan at Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest as they beat Arsenal and Leicester in the FA Cup and won promotion in 2021-22. His eye-catching displays earned him a move to Spurs from parent club Middlesbrough at the end of the campaign in a deal worth up to £20m.