Djed Spence will return to Elland Road this Saturday lunchtime as Leeds United host Tottenham in the Premier League.
The former Leeds loanee endured a tough stint in Yorkshire during the 2023/24 season, featuring in only seven games before an injury prematurely ended his time at Elland Road. Reflecting on his spell at the club, Spence said: “I went there, things were going well, then I got injured.
“I got quite a bad injury to my knee, then I came back but I was still getting pain. I came back and was playing a bit but I was playing on the wrong side (at left-back).
“It wasn’t easy. It didn’t get the best out of me, everyone wants to play in their best position.”
When asked about Spence’s departure at the time, Leeds boss Daniel Farke commented: “Obviously, it’s important – the potential and the quality of the player, but also it’s professionalism, it’s discipline, it’s workload on and off the pitch and also the soft skills.
“Also if he’s positive and committed, good for the group and engaged with these topics. Our demands are very, very high and we don’t differ between loan players or permanent players. We are pretty picky on this topic.”
However, the 25-year-old did not agree with Farke’s assessment. “I don’t think that’s fair at all,” he told The Athletic. “I don’t necessarily agree with what they said.
“But in football, this is how it is: you have to keep your head down, keep going and eventually prove people wrong.
“Some of it is a bit blown out of proportion. You can be late once and if you’re not playing, it’s a problem, and if you are playing, then it’s not a problem.”
After leaving Leeds in January 2024, Spence joined Genoa on a short-term loan and went on to make 16 appearances in Serie A.
After returning to north London and impressing for Tottenham last season, the left-back was called into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.
Former Leeds academy graduate Archie Gray will also make his return to Elland Road. However, he has only started one game for Thomas Frank so far this season.
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