Who is Djed Spence? Meet Harambee Stars prospect who won Europa League with Tottenham
Djed Spence is an English footballer with Kenyan and Jamaican roots. Born in London, Spence plays as a full-back for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
In May 2025, he helped Spurs lift the Europa League trophy, ending a 17-year European drought for the club. “CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE BABYYY,” he posted on his X account.
Spence is English by birth. However, he is eligible to represent Kenya internationally.
Early life and background
Djed Spence was born on 9 August 2000 in London, England. His full name is Diop Tehuti Djed-Hotep Spence. His mother, Aisha Spence, is from Kenya, while his father is Jamaican. Spence is eligible to play international football for three countries: England, Kenya, and Jamaica.
He grew up in London alongside his sister, Karla-Simone Spence, who is a well-known actress. Their mother, Aisha, has played a major role in Spence’s career. She supported him from a young age, taking him to training sessions and even washing kits when he played for Junior Elite, a grassroots club in Croydon.
Career path
Spence began his professional career with Fulham’s youth system before moving to Middlesbrough in 2018. His breakthrough came during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the 2021/22 season. Spence became a key player and helped the club secure promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
His performances caught the attention of top-flight clubs. In July 2022, Tottenham Hotspur signed him from Middlesbrough for a reported fee of Ksh3.2 billion. He signed a five-year contract, which was later extended to 2028.
Under Antonio Conte, Djed Spence was brushed off as just a “club signing” and barely got a look-in, spending most of his time out on loan, first to Rennes in France, then a short-lived spell at Leeds United, and later at Genoa in Italy.
But under Ange Postecoglou, things have finally started to click. The Australian’s belief in him appears to have unlocked something, a far cry from the stop-start beginning of his Spurs journey. “Maybe he senses the opportunity to become… a starting player,” Postecoglou said.
That renewed sense of freedom has been central to Spence’s revival. Spurs turning to him this season might have seemed unlikely a few months ago, but his recent displays have made a strong case for a regular spot in the XI.
With both Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies sidelined, Spence stepped in at left-back and did not miss a beat. He set the tone early against Southampton, laying on an assist for James Maddison inside the first minute. Just four days later, he was at it again, lifting a clever ball over the top to set up Solanke in a dramatic Carabao Cup win over Manchester United.
The Europa League triumph
In 2025, Djed Spence was part of the Tottenham Hotspur squad that won the UEFA Europa League. Spurs defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of the match, which helped Spurs end a 17-year wait for a European trophy. Spence played a key role throughout the tournament, featuring in several matches and displaying strong defensive skills.
Following the victory, Tottenham secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League next season.
National team eligibility
Although Spence has played for the England Under-21 team, he has not yet made a senior appearance for any national side. This means he can still switch allegiance and play for England, Kenya, or Jamaica.
Given his Kenyan roots, many football fans in the country are hopeful that he will choose to represent the Harambee Stars. His talent and experience would be a major boost to the national team.
Former footballer and pundit Gary Lineker once mentioned Spence as part of a new group of young full-backs who could solve England’s left-back issues. “It is funny that about a year ago, we were talking about England’s left-back problem. Then suddenly you get three emerging at once with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Lewis Hall and Djed Spence. Three young players suddenly look strong in that position,” Lineker said.
Author
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
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