One of the heroes of Nottingham Forest's promotion season has been touted as a potential January transfer target after struggling since leaving the club.
Djed Spence spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Forest and became a fan favourite at the club after consistently being one of their best players in a remarkable turnaround under former boss Steve Cooper which saw them go from bottom of the league to Championship play-off winners over the course of the season.
The summer that followed the play-off win saw the Reds miss out on the permanent signing of the 24-year-old, with Tottenham Hotspur securing his signature.
The move has ultimately been a failure, though, with Spence having only played 11 times for the club in two and a half seasons. He has been sent out on loan moves of little success to Leeds United, French side Rennes, and Italian club Genoa, and this coming window could see yet another temporary departure come his way.
Speaking to Tottenham News, former Spurs scout Bryan King has revealed that Nuno Espírito Santo's side could be an option for the right back, who can also play on the left, this winter.
"When everybody is fit, Spence has no chance of playing," admitted King.
"I would think that Spence is a player who could be moving on from the club because he isn’t getting regular football. You don’t want an unhappy face around the football club.
"Spence will want regular football, and it doesn’t look like he will get that at Tottenham. Even with all the recent injuries, he still isn’t playing. This is a player who made a name for himself at Nottingham Forest, that could certainly be a potential move.
"There are some ties between Nottingham Forest and Spurs."
After failing to break through in North London under numerous managers, the door looks all but closed for Spence at Spurs. He has managed some minutes this season - four Premier League substitute appearances and one in the EFL Cup where he scored his first goal for the club - but nowhere near the amount he would want if he is to become a regular and further his career.
Forest have started the season brilliantly under Espírito Santo, currently sitting in fifth in the Premier League, just two points below the top four. Current full back pairing Àlex Moreno and Ola Aina have been crucial to their success, the latter cementing himself of the right of the back four, but Spence could provide some healthy competition if he is hungry enough to push for a starting birth.
Other right back Neco Williams, who has also operated on the left at times, has struggled to displace the full backs this campaign and was also subject of transfer interest from Serie A league leaders Atalanta in the summer, the Italian side having bids rejected. If interest in the Welshman was to reignite, then Spence could prove an exciting and cost-effective backup replacement for the remainder of the season.
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