The last 12 months have certainly been tumultuous for Tottenham Hotspur, whether that be on the field under various managers or even off the field and in the boardroom.
Ange Postecoglou ended the Lilywhites’ 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to maintain his position at the helm after finishing 17th in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank was brought into the club during the summer, starting a new era to try and build on the Europa League success endured at the back end of the previous campaign.
However, another new era looks set to commence off the field, after chairman Daniel Levy stepped down in recent days after spending 25 years in the role.
Many of his decisions during his time in North London have been questionable to say the least, but his move to land Djed Spence now looks to be a fantastic piece of business.
Djed Spence’s rise to stardom at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2022, Spurs completed the £20m signing of right-back Spence from Championship outfit Middlesbrough - in a move that didn’t go down well with manager Antonio Conte.
The Italian was unhappy with the addition, even stating that he didn’t want to sign the player and subsequently excluding him from his plans for the 2022/23 campaign.
After just six first-team outings that year, he left to join Rennes on loan, before also spending the entirety of the following season on loan at Leeds United and Genoa respectively.
However, the injury setbacks endured during Postecoglou’s reign last season gave the 25-year-old an opportunity to showcase his talents - something which he grabbed with both hands.
Spence ended up making 35 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, even scoring his first Premier League goal in the win over Ipswich Town back in February.
Such a turnaround has been remarkable, especially considering he nearly left during Conte’s time at the club - with Frank now reaping the rewards of the hierarchy’s faith in the full-back.
The defender subsequently made his first England appearance in the triumph against Serbia on Tuesday night - further showcasing the sensational rise he’s endured in North London over recent months.
The player who could be Frank’s new Spence
After taking the reins during the summer, Frank will need time to implement his system that saw him take Brentford from the depths of the Championship to a consistent Premier League outfit.
However, glimpses of his tactical ability have already been evident, even beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad in just the second game of his tenure in North London.
He’s not been afraid to make big calls in recent weeks, even putting faith in striker Richarlison to make an impact after the Brazilian was hugely touted with a move away from the Lilywhites.
The 28-year-old already has two goals and an assist in his first three league games of 2025/26 - subsequently keeping summer addition Mathys Tel out of the starting eleven.
The Frenchman moved to the Lilywhites permanently during the off-season after spending the second half of last campaign on loan under Postecoglou - scoring three times in his 20 appearances.
However, it’s not been all plain sailing for the 20-year-old since his return to the club, failing to make a single start and being restricted to just 19 minutes of first-team action to date.
Tel’s misery has been further compounded in recent weeks, after being left out of the 25-man Champions League squad - a decision that has undoubtedly been a shock to the fanbase.
He gained a reputation for being a talented youngster at Bayern Munich, leading to one analyst claiming he can become “one of the world’s best”.
His recent snub from Frank’s side will certainly put his future at the club into huge doubt - suffering the same fate as Spence during the early months of his own spell in North London.
However, the right-back is evidence that players can still succeed even if they fail to make the best first impression, with Tel needing time to fulfil the potential he arrived with.
Offloading the Frenchman in the near future would be a huge mistake, potentially turning into a world beater with regular minutes away from the Lilywhites.
Competition for places isn’t a bad scenario for Frank to have, but it’s crucial he doesn’t neglect Tel’s talents, subsequently needing to manage his talents if the player is to follow in Spence’s footsteps.