Kenyan defender finally opens up on disastrous spell at Tottenham following move to Genoa

STARS ABROAD Kenyan defender finally opens up on disastrous spell at Tottenham following move to Genoa

Mark Kinyanjui 07:34 - 26.02.2024

Spence, who was born to a Jamaican father and a Kenyan mother, has opened up on his difficult spell at Tottenham, where he has barely featured since moving there in 2022.

Harambee Stars prospect Djed Spence has opened up on his difficult spell at Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since completing a loan move to Genoa in January.

Spence, who was born to a Jamaican father and a Kenyan mother, has found it difficult in North London since moving to Spurs in the Summer of 2022 and has also been loaned out to Rennes in France.

The former Nottingham Forest man recently spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview and he was asked about his time at Tottenham and why it has gone wrong.

Spence admitted that he honestly does not know what has been going on at Tottenham, which has left him disillusioned.

“This is football, I couldn’t explain the reasons. What’s certain is that when you don’t play it’s difficult to demonstrate your value.”

Spence has vowed to not let the bad spell at the club deter him from wanting to chase his price.

“There’s no point in asking too many questions. But I believe that even in difficulty there’s always something to learn. Whichever coach you are, it makes you richer inside.”

Contrary to his time at Spurs, Spece had impressed in his time at Forest and he praised former boss Steve Cooper for having helped him in his career.

“Cooper was truly an excellent teacher on a human level as well, and represents one of the keys to my excellent season. He is my footballing father.”

The 23-year-old has already played four times in Serie A so far and this came after his loan stint at Leeds United in the first half of the season, where he played seven times in the Championship. However issues around discipline held his career back at Elland Road.

Despite careful planning, the move did not unfold as expected for Spence during his loan to the Championship side. Early setbacks included a knee injury that sidelined him for weeks after just one game. Playing in an unfamiliar left-sided role to cover for an injured teammate, Spence struggled to showcase his best form.

Surprisingly, it was the Championship side, not Spurs, that activated a break clause in the loan agreement, indicating their dissatisfaction with the arrangement. In his brief stint, Spence made only seven appearances with no goals or assists.

Quotes from Farke, the club's manager, hinted at possible issues with Spence's professionalism, coupled with the unforeseen injury, contributing to the breakdown of the deal midway through the season.

The reported £1 million loan fee may now be seen as a less effective use of funds, but it likely did not cause significant financial strain for the club.

In hindsight, Leeds might reconsider this move, but at the time, it appeared to be a logical decision, considering the circumstances, and those involved cannot be faulted for pursuing the deal.