Djed Spence: From Forgotten Loanee to Hot Property in Transfer Tug-of-War

Andoni Iraola has identified his first big defensive swing as Liverpool manager – and it could drag him straight into a tug-of-war with Inter over one of Tottenham’s most intriguing late bloomers.

Djed Spence, once a peripheral figure shuffled between loan spells, is suddenly at the centre of a high-end market scramble.

From forgotten loanee to hot property

For years, Spence’s Tottenham story looked like it would be written on the margins. Rennes, Leeds United, Genoa – his career was packed into short-term stints and fleeting impressions. Then came the twist.

In the closing months of the 2025-26 season, Spence finally imposed himself at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 25-year-old found rhythm, minutes, and – crucially – form. His late surge didn’t just revive his standing in north London; it pushed him into the spotlight for club and country, lifting his valuation over the summer.

That upturn has not gone unnoticed on Merseyside. According to reports, Liverpool are tracking the situation closely, ready to move if Spurs show the slightest willingness to cash in before the window shuts. Iraola wants fresh legs and aggression in his back line, and Spence’s profile fits the brief.

The problem? Tottenham know exactly what they’ve got now.

De Zerbi’s hierarchy and Spurs’ stance

Despite Spence’s rise, his future under Roberto De Zerbi is anything but secure. The Italian coach is understood to favour Pedro Porro and Andy Robertson as his leading full-back options, a clear signal of where Spence currently sits in the pecking order.

That opens the door. It doesn’t blow it off the hinges.

Spence signed a contract extension last August, tying him to Spurs until June 2028. That deal gives Tottenham both time and leverage. They are described as open to a sale, but only on their terms: a fee in the region of £35 million would be required to even start a serious conversation.

No cut-price exit. No opportunistic raid. Any club wanting Spence will have to pay for the version that emerged last season and shone on the international stage.

Inter enter the frame

Liverpool are not alone at the table. Inter have stepped forward with intent, and their need feels urgent.

With Denzel Dumfries gone to Real Madrid, the Nerazzurri are searching for a long-term solution on the flank. Spence has been identified as a priority target, a player they believe fits seamlessly into Cristian Chivu’s system – athletic, aggressive, and comfortable operating high up the pitch.

Inter have already held talks with the defender’s representatives and are prepared to stretch their original budget to win the race. Inside the club, figures such as Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio are wary of waiting. They know that every standout performance, every headline, nudges the price further away from what they want to pay.

This is not a quiet courtship. It is a push to get ahead of Liverpool before Anfield’s pull complicates everything.

Holiday, World Cup, and a divided heart

Spence’s rise has been underlined by his role in England’s run to third place at the World Cup. That workload earned him an extended break as the new Premier League season looms.

While Tottenham toured New Zealand and Australia, facing the likes of Auckland FC and Sydney FC, Spence stayed away, resting after a draining year and a breakthrough on the global stage. His absence from pre-season only sharpened the sense that his future might lie elsewhere.

The defender is said to be open to a return to Italy after a productive spell with Genoa, where he rebuilt confidence and reputation. Serie A suits him; he knows the rhythm, the demands, the scrutiny.

Yet Liverpool is Liverpool. The chance to work under Iraola at Anfield, in a side being reshaped with intensity and ambition, remains a powerful counterweight. It is not a straightforward choice between comfort and challenge. Both options offer him a platform at the very top.

What neither club can offer is time.

With the transfer deadline closing in, Tottenham hold the contract, Liverpool hold the project, and Inter hold the urgency. Spence, once on the fringes and fighting for minutes, now stands at the centre of a three-way battle that could define the next phase of his career – and reshape more than one back line in the process.