Nottingham Forest will miss out on Djed Spence as the Middlesbrough star prepares to make a big move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Forest pounced to sign Spence on loan back in August as he fell out of Neil Warnock’s plans at Middlesbrough.
This move proved to be an absolute masterstroke for Forest as Spence became a City Ground hero.
Spence racked up 46 appearances in all competitions for Forest with the 21-year-old shining going forward.
Spence celebrated the play-off final victory over Huddersfield Town as passionately as anybody else and Forest fans have been hoping for a permanent stay.
Sadly, that doesn’t look like happening.
Nottingham Forest will miss out on Djed Spence
Spence has been linked with a host of top Premier League clubs of late with Tottenham Hotspur leading the chase.
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Sky Sports claim that Tottenham are now in advanced talks to sign Spence.
90Min add that Forest were prepared to pay a club-record deal for Spence but Tottenham are confident they will win the race.
Tottenham are striking a deal worth £20million for Spence and personal terms are on the verge of being agreed.
This is a blow for Forest but one that many fans have been expecting for a while.
There have been hopes that Spence would move on and come back on loan to Forest.
Yet Premier League rules mean that Spence can’t join Tottenham and then be loaned to a top-flight rival.
There seems to be no route back to Forest for Spence now; Steve Cooper and co will have to go and find a replacement for the loan wing back.
It’s a shame that Spence won’t be heading back to the City Ground as a Forest player but at least he went on the highest of highs with that play-off final win.