Tottenham Hotspur assistant head coach Cristian Stellini has hinted that Djed Spence could feature for Spurs against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
The Reds host Antonio Conte’s side in the third round of the Carabao Cup (7:45pm kick-off) as they look to make it to the next round of the competition. The game will see a familiar face return to the City Ground, with the possibility of a full debut for his new club.
Full-back Spence became a fan favourite during a season-long loan spell at Forest last season. The defender played a big part in the club’s promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
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While Forest may have hoped to make the from Middlesbrough permanent in the summer, they had competition from Champions League side Tottenham. Spurs eventually completed the £20million transfer in July after months of speculation.
However, since arriving at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spence has found game time hard to come by. He has played a total of just three minutes in three appearances in the Premier League this season and was left out of the squad entirely for the weekend’s game against Liverpool.
It has been suggested that the Carabao Cup, could be a chance for the former Forest man to make his full debut for Spurs, four months after joining the club. Speaking in his pre-match press conference Stellini outlined why Spence has found game time hard to come by this season, while also hinting that he could get his chance at the City Ground.
“For our young players, every game is the game to trust in him,” he said (via football.london). “If we think the EFL Cup is important, we need the players who are ready.
“Djed Spence is one of those for sure, he's working hard. Not every player is the same. They need time. Players that arrive from the Championship need more time. “He needs time. With the young players you need to make it the right time.
“When you play in the Championship, your step up is so big, you need to work. It's about a lot of situations. It's not only technically and tactically, he's working hard and we're happy with him.
“When you're working in a club like this, there's only one solution and that's to win the game. It's difficult for a player to come from the Championship and to be ready and to play with the pressure at first.”
Do you think Spence will play for Spurs vs Forest on Wednesday? Tell us in the comments section
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