Former Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend has urged his old club to make a late move for Tottenham and England full-back Djed Spence, who has been offered to Liverpool and Manchester United. Spence, 25, impressed at the 2026 World Cup, helping England finish third, and is keen to leave Spurs this summer for regular first-team football.
Spence's Situation at Tottenham
Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough for £20 million four years ago but struggled initially to secure a starting role. Under manager Roberto De Zerbi, he has found himself behind Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro on both flanks, limiting his minutes. Reports earlier this week indicated that both Liverpool and United were offered the chance to sign the versatile defender, who is under contract until 2028.
According to talkSPORT, Townsend believes Chelsea should enter the race to bolster their full-back options following Marc Cucurella's departure to Real Madrid for over £60 million. 'I don't know what he would cost because of how well he did at the World Cup,' Townsend said. 'Has that inflated his price tag unreasonably? I genuinely haven't got a clue.'
Townsend's Verdict: 'Good Business'
Townsend suggested a fee around £40 million would be reasonable, given Cucurella's transfer fee. 'If Cucurella is going to Real Madrid for over £60million, I would have thought Djed Spence at £40million, something around that figure, would be a decent acquisition,' he added. 'It wouldn't do them any harm to have someone who is still looking to improve as a player, who is all ears and wants to get better. He is now showing what he is capable of, so that would be a good piece of business.'
However, Chelsea may face competition from Inter Milan, who have reportedly entered talks with Spurs over a deal. Inter are keen to strengthen at right-back after Denzel Dumfries left for Real Madrid, and a fee in the region of €30 million (£25.6 million) could be enough for Spurs to sell. Spence would follow England colleague John Stones, who joined Inter on a free transfer from Manchester City last month.
De Zerbi's Stance and Chelsea's Goalkeeping Concerns
Tottenham manager De Zerbi has said he wants Spence to stay but will not block a move if the player wants to leave. 'I repeat what I said to Djed, and to Lucas [Bergvall],' De Zerbi said. 'I would like you to stay if you want to stay. If you don't want to stay, if you want to leave, then you have to leave.'
Townsend also urged Chelsea to find a replacement for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who has not convinced since his £25 million move from Brighton in 2023. 'Robert Sanchez is one of those goalkeepers that Monday to Friday, he must be unbelievable,' Townsend said. 'He must be plucking them out of the top corner and making saves from all angles – he must be brilliant. Everyone at the club thinks there is a proper goalkeeper there, whereas most of us are waiting for a lapse in concentration. You are just waiting for him to scupper all of the good work that clearly he can do. I would have thought that if Chelsea want to win the league, and I am sure they will want to again at some point, they are going to have to upgrade. But they obviously haven't seen anything they really fancy, so they are going to continue to go with Sanchez.'
Chelsea must decide quickly if they wish to sign Spence, with Inter Milan reportedly in talks for the defender. A move would provide competition at full-back and address the gap left by Cucurella, while Townsend's comments highlight the need for improvement in goal if the club is to challenge for the title.
