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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Matt Abbott

Djed Spence 'passes first audition' for Antonio Conte as transfer decision looms

Former Nottingham Forest loanee Djed Spence "grabbed the opportunity" to impress head coach Antonio Conte in their first mid-season friendly against Scottish Premiership side Motherwell ahead of the Premier League season restarting later this month.

Spence, 22, has made just four competitive appearances for Spurs this season since signing during the January transfer window of which were as a substitute. In fact, this friendly was the first time that the wing-back started a match as a Tottenham player, after only featuring once also as a substitute during pre-season.

The England under-21 international played 75 minutes of the match before being replaced, as part of a raft of changes, by teenager Maksim Paskotsi for the final quarter of an hour soon after Matt Doherty made it 4-0 with his second of the match. Despite not scoring the goals that his opposite wing-back managed at Hotspur Way, Spence nonetheless also contributed an "eye-catching performance".

READ MORE: Evangelos Marinakis 'eyes' triple Forest transfer as key area identified

READ MORE: Sheffield United comments raise transfer doubt after Forest interest

Football London's Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold concluded a point in his talking points after the match by stating: "It was an eye-catching performance from the young wing-back, but there is only one pair of eyes that matters, and that's Conte's. This period is going to be crucial for any trust to be developed between the two men."

Gold has previously suggested that if Conte still does not foresee an increase in Spence's minutes anytime soon, then both parties would benefit from the player being loaned to a fellow Premier League team to aid his development. Giulian Biancone remains sidelined for the season after undergoing surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligaments in one of his knees, meaning Forest may be in the market for a right-wing back.

What would you make of Spence potentially returning on loan in January? Have your say in the comments...

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