Nottingham Forest have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of Djed Spence in the summer transfer window, as a claim has emerged on his future...

What's the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has revealed that Tottenham are on the verge of a deal to snap up the full-back from Middlesbrough this week.

He tweeted: "Spurs are in advanced talks & close to signing Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence. There’s hope a deal can be done by the weekend. Understand the fee discussed is around £15m plus add-ons. Spurs are also signing Richarlison (£60m)."

Forest are interested in securing Spence on a permanent basis after he spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at the City Ground, but they now look set to miss out to their Premier League rivals.

Supporters will be gutted

Forest supporters will be gutted by this news, as the club will now need to move on to other targets and attempt to replace him, assuming there are no late twists.

Spence was sublime for Steve Cooper's team last season as he excelled in a right wing-back role. He played 42 matches in the Championship, chipping in with two goals, creating six 'big chances' and registering four assists, showcasing his attacking talent.

His performances caught the eye of the national media, with pundit and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright saying: "If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we're talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.

"I said to him, in all seriousness, 'That level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League.' Simple as that."

To compare him to two England internationals whilst playing in the second tier is a big compliment, and it highlights how much he impressed with his displays last season.

Alongside his 'swashbuckling' attacking play, Spence did not forget about the other side of the game either, averaging 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match. He won the ball back on a regular basis for his team before providing quality in possession to take them up the pitch, proving to be a consistent performer at the back.

Therefore, Forest fans must be gutted to learn that the 21-year-old is set to sign for Antonio Conte's team and will now be hoping that the club can find an excellent alternative before the end of the transfer window.

AND in other news, "Terms now agreed..": John Percy delivers huge Forest claim that'll delight supporters...