‘My understanding is’: Fabrizio Romano shares the reason why Djed Spence isn’t playing for Tottenham

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Tottenham boss Antonio Conte isn’t starting Djed Spence as he prefers experienced players, Fabrizio Romano has told Caught Offside. The defender signed from Middlesbrough is yet to start a game since signing for Spurs in the summer.

Spence was added on the back of a wonderful season for Nottingham Forest. He made 44 appearances for the Reds; helping them reclaim a place back in the Premier League after a 23-year exile.

Tottenham forked out around £20 million to sign Spence. But, within days of signing him, Antonio Conte basically implied the signing wasn’t his decision and suggested that one eye was on the future.

That has been evident with his limited game time. He’s played for just three minutes in the Premier League and managed a 25-minute run out during a 2-0 defeat to Forest in the Carabao Cup.

Some reports have suggested that the 22-year-old might head out on loan in January. Romano, however, has claimed that no decision has been taken on that possibility just yet ahead of the window.

He told Caught Offside: “My understanding is that Spence is not playing because Antonio Conte wants experienced players and Spence is considered a talent for the future.

“Tottenham were always frontrunners in the summer and they are convinced he’s going to be a great investment for the future.

“In terms of a January loan, no decision has been made yet; we will see what happens when Conte meets the board and decides the next steps.”

Conte prefers experienced players and Spence might be regretting summer choice

This is deeply frustrating for Spence. He will have joined Tottenham thinking that he had a serious chance to prove himself and quickly become the primary right-sided wing-back option in Conte’s team.

It would seem, however, that the player isn’t going to be playing any time soon. Conte looks to have made his decision and it would appear that he’s not going to be backing down in the near future.

As a result, the club have to consider loaning Spence out. He was brilliant at Forest last season and ultimately, Tottenham don’t want his development to stagnate by sitting on the bench.

Lots of clubs would dearly love to take him on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign. With Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal ahead of Spence at Tottenham, it makes zero sense to keep him around.