2 hours ago
21
Rio Ferdinand has delivered a major verdict on Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence, with the Manchester United legend tipping him for a big role in the England setup.
The last year has been a big one for Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence, who has had to work tirelessly to revive his career after several setbacks following his move to north London.
Once well down the pecking order under Antonio Conte, Spence has turned his fortunes around, becoming a key part of Tottenham’s squad and playing his role in helping the Lilywhites secure Europa League glory.
That hard work and resilience have now been rewarded, as Djed Spence has earned his first England cap after being called up by Thomas Tuchel during the international break.
Rio Ferdinand backs Spence for key England role
Rio Ferdinand has now shared his thoughts on Djed Spence and where he believes the Tottenham defender fits in this current England squad.
Speaking on the player’s development, Ferdinand insisted that Spence is good enough to take on the Kyle Walker role thanks to his versatility and his ability to dominate in defensive situations.
“He is the number one one v one defender in the England squad right now, no one comes near him,” Ferdinand said, speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
Asked whether he would still start Kyle Walker, he added: “If you are going to play three centre backs I would. But if you are not going to have three centre-backs, I would not.
“I think Djed Spence is now prime and ready to take over the Kyle Walker role. He can play right-back, left-back, and if you had to play three at the back, he could slot in at right centre back because he is so quick he can cover everything.”
Is Djed Spence Kyle Walker’s long term replacement for England? 🎥 Join @Rio Ferdinand, @Joel Beya and @Stephen Howson 🇾🇪 for a brand new Rio Presents episode! 🎧 Rio Ferdinand is joined by Joel Beya and Ste Howson who get stuck into Onana’s transfer to Turkey along with the talking points from England’s latest match under Thomas Tuchel. One of those is the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold so Rio analyses why international managers prefer Chelsea’s Reece James. There’s a discussion around the value of games against the likes of Andorra as Rio says there’s no concerns about England’s performances at this stage of the buildup to the World Cup. Rio reveals who he thinks will take on Kyle Walker’s mantle of the best 1v1 defender and praises Daniel Levy’s tenure at Spurs and discusses the difference in mentality shown by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to their desire to play in the World Cup for their respective nations. #rioferdinand #footballtiktok #soccertiktok #england #englandfootball
♬ original sound – Rio Ferdinand PresentsView TikTok
Tottenham set England record thanks to Djed Spence debut
Djed Spence has now become the 80th England international from Tottenham to represent the Three Lions, making Spurs the club with the most England internationals in history.
He is also the first Muslim Englishman to represent England, which marks a personal milestone that he will undoubtedly take pride in as he continues his journey at the highest level.
With Tottenham back in the Champions League this season, it is set to be a demanding campaign for Spence, and he will be eager to impress on both domestic and European stages to cement his growing reputation.
Have something to tell us about this article?
English (US) ·