Tottenham outcast Djed Spence makes Conte look foolish with a standout performance in his debut for Rennes
Saturday’s performance by Djed Spence in his Rennes debut could cause Tottenham to lament their decision to let him leave in January.
The defender, who had fallen out of favor with Antonio Conte, signed a loan deal with the French club until the end of the season in order to gain first-team experience elsewhere.
Spurs spent £40 million in January to acquire Pedro Porro, Conte’s top target as he seeks to strengthen his defense after allowing 31 goals in 20 games.
This is despite the fact that he already has Spence, Emerson Royal, and Matt Doherty at his disposal.
Five months after signing for £20 million from Middlesbrough, Spence found himself unwanted and on the outside looking in after just five minutes of Premier League action. Antonio Conte preferred Royal and Doherty over Spence, giving him little chance to break into the first team.
The 22-year-old decided to try his luck in Ligue 1 with Rennes, who secured his loan transfer on the final day of the transfer window. Spence is prompting the Italian to reconsider his decision to release him after a stellar debut for the Brittany-based club.
Djed Spence nearly scores on his debut! He has been impressive so far.#THFC pic.twitter.com/djfL5jxtt6
— SpursOTM (@SpurOTM) February 4, 2023
With only five minutes remaining, the youngster raced down the right side of the field and decided to challenge his opponent, performing a series of quick stepovers and leaving his defender for dead. His inviting driven cross flashed across the six-yard box, but no red-shirted players were there to receive it.
After being given the freedom to roam forward later in the half, Spence once again displayed confidence.
This time, the speedy fullback shifted the ball wide and unleashed a thunderous shot that slammed into the side netting.
Rennes fell apart in the second half when former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes set up Edon Zhegrova for the equalizer on the hour mark, with teammate Spence caught upfield due to a misplaced pass.
Former Premier League stars Remy Cabella and Andre Gomes scored late goals for Lille to narrow the gap to two points. Spence lasted 84 minutes before the manager made a triple substitution. Despite this, Rennes fans flooded social media with praise for their new starlet after his impressive performance.
Spurs supporters will undoubtedly hope that Spence will be given a second opportunity to compete for his position at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium based on this performance.
The Italian’s contract is set to expire in June, so much may depend on whether or not he remains with the club.
The remainder of the season may prove that Conte was incorrect to dismiss him so quickly, as he displayed enough promise to suggest it.
Tottenham outcast Djed Spence makes Conte look foolish with a standout performance in his debut for Rennes
