Leeds United have endured a tough transfer window, made even more frustrating when sure-thing deals begin to fall through. However, Daniel Farke cannot allow himself to become complacent amidst all the misery…
Who are Leeds United signing this summer?
In what promised to be a summer of vast revolution in Yorkshire, it has instead seen a mass exodus with little recuperation, as ten first-team players have departed with just four having been brought in.
This frustration was exacerbated when, despite seemingly agreeing a deal to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City, late interest from AFC Bournemouth spurred him to make a late change of heart. He would instead join the south coast club for £7m, breaking the hearts of Leeds fans and his former boss in one fell swoop.
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However, journalist Dean Jones has now suggested an alternative that could allow them to speedily move on, with the availability of Djed Spence a fine option for them to explore. Especially given how out of favour he has fallen at Tottenham Hotspur despite joining for £20m back in 2022.
The transfer insider told GIVEMESPORT:
"Yeah, I think in the light of the Max Aarons move not working out it seems like a good idea to explore the situation with Spence.
"There’s huge competition at right-back at Spurs, and while there’s been a resistance to letting him out so far, I think that might have to change at the very end of the window. Both Leeds and Southampton should probably be interested in something like that if it came about."
How good is Djed Spence?
As a couple of young, dynamic, English full-backs, it would be easy for the Elland Road faithful to get behind such a talented ace who could not only help their current situation, but lead them into a brighter future too.
After all, before moving to north London, the former Middlesbrough star had shone in the Championship, particularly on loan with Nottingham Forest.
Yet, as Antonio Conte was guilty of with many players, the 23-year-old saw his chances limited before being forced out to France on loan to reignite a stuttering career.
It is his exploits at the City Ground, which massively aided their Premier League return, that Farke should keep fresh in his memory, as the speedster offered plenty at both ends of the pitch in a way potentially even more potent than Aarons has ever shown.
Spence featured 42 times during that league campaign, posting six goal contributions as he marauded down that right flank. However, despite his one key pass per game he never shirked his defensive responsibilities, also maintaining 1.5 interceptions and 1.4 tackles per game, alongside 15 clean sheets, via Sofascore.
Such form caught the attention of many, with former Forest star Brian Laws leading the praise:
"His rise has been remarkable. He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.
"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step-over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat. I’ve been impressed with his one-to-one defending. He is decent on the back post, he is strong in the air.
"There is nothing I have seen that you could call a weakness.”
Then, to compare those earlier figures with Aarons' most recent full Championship campaign, it is clear that there is little to no comparison to be made. His 2022/23 league term saw him average a 6.78 rating, scoring once, assisting twice and recording just one interception and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
He too may have pace, but it seems Spence has already learnt how to harness that into a tangible threat. Perhaps a return to the second tier could help reignite his career, and help fans forget about the former Canaries ace in a heartbeat.