Tottenham Hotspur star Djed Spence is reportedly close to landing his former club Middlesbrough a cash boost.
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The 25-year-old did not hit the heights he was capable of at the Riverside and spent the final year of his time at the club out on loan.
It was during his season at Nottingham Forest that his stock soared and he attracted the attention of Tottenham.
In the summer of 2022, Spurs forked out a reported £20m for the marauding right-back’s services.
He initially struggled for minutes in North London and was loaned out to Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa.
A resurgence did not appear likely, yet Spence is now enjoying a new lease of life in the Premier League. His form has pushed him into the England fold and he now has three senior caps to his name.
Potential cash boost for Middlesbrough
According to the Northern Echo, one more competitive start for the Three Lions will trigger a clause inserted in the deal that took Spence to Spurs and
His first start came earlier this month, in a World Cup qualifying win over Latvia.
Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel could potentially hand Spence another next month with fixtures against Serbia and Albania.
Djed Spence’s career trajectory
A financial boost would undoubtedly be welcomed at the Riverside, even if there is some lingering regret over Spence’s post-Middlesbrough ascent.
The £20m they are believed to have pocketed three years ago will no doubt have been a huge help at the time, but his price tag would now be higher.
His brief return to Yorkshire, during the 2023/24 season, was arranged with the hope it would breathe life into his career.
There were glimpses of his talent at Leeds, but his loan stay was brought to an abrupt end midway through the campaign.
Djed Spence on Leeds United spell
Reflecting on his spell at Elland Road earlier this year, Spence said: “The second loan, when I went to Leeds, it was ‘the [Spurs] manager [Antonio Conte] hasn’t seen much of you, you need to go out and play and prove yourself’.
“That’s when I went to Leeds. That didn’t quite work out. Obviously, I got an injury. All the loan moves and everything, I never really settled and had the chance to play. Now I'm playing week in, week out, I feel settled.”