Tottenham Hotspur's summer signing Djed Spence is facing a crushing personal and professional setback after being brutally sidelined by manager Antonio Conte, throwing his World Cup dreams into serious doubt.
The £20 million right-back, who was heralded as a major coup for Spurs after his impressive loan spell at Nottingham Forest, has been told he is not part of Conte's immediate first-team plans. In a stunning development, the 22-year-old was not even included in the squad for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon, a match for which the club had a full complement of spots available.
Conte's Brutal Assessment
The Italian manager did not mince his words when explaining his decision, delivering a verdict that will alarm the young defender and England manager Gareth Southgate. "Spence is a young player and he showed in the past that he has potential," Conte stated. "But it is one thing to show it in a team that plays with a different tactical aspect, and another to do it here."
This public dismissal suggests a significant gulf between how the club's recruitment team viewed Spence and how the manager sees him fitting into his notoriously demanding and specific tactical system.
World Cup Hopes Hang by a Thread
The timing could not be worse for Spence. His move to a Champions League club was seen as the perfect platform to force his way into Gareth Southgate's thinking for the Qatar 2022 squad. Now, with just weeks until the tournament and no prospect of first-team minutes, his dream of boarding the plane appears to be over before it ever really began.
This exclusion is a stark reminder of the cut-throat nature of top-flight football, where a big-money transfer is no guarantee of playing time or managerial approval.
What Next for the £20m Man?
The immediate future looks bleak for Spence at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With Conte preferring Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty, the defender faces months on the periphery unless there is a dramatic change in his manager's assessment.
Questions will now be asked about Tottenham's recruitment strategy and the communication between the board and the manager. For Djed Spence, a season that promised so much now threatens to be one of immense frustration and stagnation.
