Genoa are in contact with Tottenham as they evaluate whether to buy Djed Spence.
The versatile right back, who can also play in midfield, joined Genoa on loan in January with a €10m option to buy, and has made eight Serie A appearances since.
However, 23-year-old Spence has only completed a full 90 minutes three times, keeping clean sheets in draws with Empoli and Juventus and featuring in the 2-1 victory at Salernitana.
Spurs paid an initial £12.5m for Spence from Middlesbrough when he joined in 2022, but he made just six appearances before two difficult loan spells with Rennes and Leeds.
Genoa interested in taking Djed Spence permanently
Genoa are now challenging Spence to finish the season strongly and open to keeping him at the club.
“I speak with Djed every week,” said Genoa’s sporting director Marco Ottolini, who joined from Juventus in 2022. “We have created a good environment for him. We are trying to make him feel warm and welcome here, and this will then translate into his performances on the pitch. We want to give him the right conditions to perform.
“We still have seven games to go and we want to see what he can do. Personally, I like Djed and how he is doing, and how he is training. Of course, he can do more, and he knows this, but we are in contact with Spurs and will evaluate a deal over the next few months giving us time to understand our both position and Djed’s perspective on potentially staying here.”
Tottenham want to sell Spence this summer so will be hoping Genoa and Spence do take up the option to buy.
Ottalani, who was the driving force behind bringing now-Spurs defender Radu Dragusin to Genoa from Juventus, has been tracking Spence since he was a teenager and believes stability will be key to his success.
“I remember I was at Craven Cottage in 2017 with Fulham’s then Academy director Huw Jennings. There was an Under-23s game and I noticed Djed for the first time. He went on to Middlesbrough and a loan at Nottingham Forest before being sold to Tottenham.
“So I knew all about his characteristics from back then and they were fresh in my mind when we spoke to Tottenham. Djed had not had good loans [at Rennes and Leeds] but I still knew his quality. And we were looking to strengthen at right-back in January.
“Through our discussions with Tottenham over Radu, the possibility of taking Djed on loan emerged. We knew he had struggled a bit at Leeds. I don’t want to say the move…
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