Conte: Not my decision to sign £20m Spence
DJED SPENCE has become Tottenham’s sixth signing of the summer but Antonio Conte has revealed he is not a player selected by him.
Spurs completed the long-expected move for the 21-year-old right wing-back from Middlesbrough yesterday on a five-year contract and a fee worth up to £20million. ‘Spence is an investment of the club,’ said boss Conte. ‘The club wanted to do it. I said, “OK, this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us”. The club decided to buy him.’
In Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal, there are already two established right wing-backs at the club and Conte is busy converting forward Lucas Moura into the same role. Tottenham’s
managing director Fabio Paratici made personal checks on Spence last season as he helped Nottingham Forest win promotion to the Premier League while on loan from Middlesbrough.
Conte’s revelation may help explain why the transfer dragged on in contrast to those signings prioritised by the head coach, which were completed speedily.