Tottenham are confident that they will beat Nottingham Forest to the signing of Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence, 90min understands.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2021/22 season on loan at the City Ground and was voted into the Championship Team of the Year after helping Forest to promotion via the play-offs.
Steve Cooper’s side had hoped to keep Spence and were prepared to pay a club-record fee for his permanent services but look set to be pipped to his signature by Spurs, who are long-term admirers of his.
90min understands Tottenham’s final offer to Boro will come to around £20m and they are close to agreeing personal terms over a long-term contract.
Spence is set to become Spurs’ third signing of the summer having already agreed a deal for Ivan Perisic on the opposite flank and Fraser Forster as backup goalkeeper.
On the latest edition of Talking Transfers, Harry Symeou steps in for Scott Saunders to host as 90min’s transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey and Toby Cudworth discuss the futures of Bukayo Saka, Raphael Leao, Romelu Lukaku, Kalvin Phillips, Youri Tielemans, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Raphinha, Gabriel Jesus and more!
Arsenal, Brentford, Crystal Palace and West Ham were all interested in Spence, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich had been keeping tabs on his situation.
Nottingham Forest will now turn their attention to alternative full-back targets and have set their sights on Liverpool’s Neco Williams – who impressed on loan at Fulham – and Manchester City youngster Issa Kabore.
