Thomas Frank has Djed Spence problem at Tottenham after latest developments
Djed Spence has had to do more than most to earn his place in the Tottenham team.
Antonio Conte gave Spence a hard time when he was in charge, and that clearly hurt the left-back.
However, Spence's Spurs form has earned him an England call-up, with Harry Kane presenting him with his first international cap.
Despite his positive start to the season, Thomas Frank now has an issue on his hands with the 25-year-old.
This article includes the opinion of iconic football commentator Ian Darke.
Djed Spence is now undroppable for Tottenham
Spence became the first muslim to play for England after appearing as a substitute in their 5-0 thrashing of Slovakia.
At club level, the former Nottingham Forest man has stepped up his performances, having started all of the Lilywhites' matches this season.
Indeed, Darke - speaking exclusively to Tottenham News - believes that Frank simply has to play Spence.
“I think it means he keeps his place, to be honest with you, for the time being,” Darke said.
“I think Spence's been in such good form. He's forced his way into the England set-up so that he won't get left out.
“And he'd be a contender for the other position on the right, Pedro Porro’s position, if he weren't playing left-back. So nice problem for Frank to have, but I think Udogie might have to wait his turn.”
What does Djed Spence's form mean for Destiny Udogie?
During the early days of Ange Postecoglou's tenure, Udogie was one of the players singled out for his outstadning performances.
Indeed, he and Porro were praised for jolting forward and playing a significant part in Tottenham's attacking play.
However, the Italian has suffered dreadful luck with injuries and has thus been absent from Frank's starting XI this season.
- Udogie made 28 Premier League appearances in 2023/24
- He made six starts in their last 18 league games at the end of the 2024/25 season
- The Italian has made three substitute appearances this term
Whilst he has been watching on from the bench, Spence has thrived, meaning regaining a place will be a challenging task.
It is probably too early to suggest that Udogie is finished in North London, as he has shown enough promise.
Furthermore, at 22 years of age, it would surely be foolish of Spurs to let him go at this point in his career.
The left-back certainly has a long way to go on his road to redemption, but regaining his starting place will be a tough task.
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