Djed Spence: Liverpool's Tactical Solution for Full-Back Depth

Liverpool’s summer has been framed by one question: who comes after Mohamed Salah? But while the spotlight glares on the forward line, a quieter, more tactical debate is unfolding in the background – one that could shape Andoni Iraola’s first season as much as any big-name attacker.

It’s about full-backs. And one in particular: Djed Spence.

A World Cup that changed the conversation

Until a few weeks ago, Spence’s name barely flickered on Liverpool’s radar, at least in public discourse. A talented but inconsistent Tottenham defender, shuffled around and loaned out, hardly the profile you’d expect to dominate talk shows on Merseyside.

Then came the World Cup in North America.

Spence has been one of England’s standout performers at the tournament, and his display against Argentina in the semi-final forced a lot of people to reassess him. Among them, Daily Mail reporter Lewis Steele, speaking on Anfield Index’s Media Matters.

“If you’d asked me this six weeks ago, I probably would have laughed you out of town because I didn’t really rate Djed Spence too highly at all,” Steele admitted. “He’s done brilliantly at the World Cup. I thought he was England’s best player last night [vs Argentina in the semi-finals].”

That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when a player suddenly looks like he belongs at the very top level.

Why Spence fits Liverpool’s problem, on paper

Liverpool’s squad issues are clear. There is a need for at least one new full-back, possibly two. The left side, in particular, is light. Milos Kerkez needs genuine competition. Kostas Tsimikas is back from Roma and will be assessed in pre-season, but his long-term role under Iraola remains uncertain.

On the right, the situation isn’t exactly overflowing with depth either.

That’s where Spence’s profile becomes intriguing. He can operate on both flanks, a rare and valuable trait in a squad that could soon be asked to adapt to Iraola’s intense, aggressive style.

“It does make a lot of sense,” Steele said. “He can play on the right and the left, which is exactly what Liverpool need. I think they’re a left back short. I think they’re a right back short.”

From a pure football perspective, it’s hard to argue. A 25-year-old, Premier League-ready, homegrown defender who has just excelled on the biggest international stage, capable of covering both full-back roles, is exactly the kind of profile top clubs usually pay attention to.

Interest, logic… but no concrete move

And yet, this is where the story cools.

TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has reported that Liverpool and Newcastle are in the mix for Spence, with Tottenham ready to sanction a sale. Inter Milan are currently viewed as favourites to land him, which says plenty about how his stock has risen.

Steele, though, drew a clear line between what makes sense and what is actually happening.

“I’ve not heard anything really to suggest that Liverpool are going to make a move for him,” he said.

He can see the logic. He can see the fit. He just hasn’t heard the noise you usually get when Liverpool genuinely step up for a target.

“It would make an awful lot of sense if they were to step it up,” he added. “I haven’t had anything to suggest they will just yet.”

That tension – between tactical logic and transfer reality – is where this story currently lives.

The price of versatility

Tottenham, for their part, know exactly what they have in their hands after this World Cup. Spence is no longer just a squad player with unfulfilled potential. He’s a full England international coming off a standout tournament.

Spurs are understood to be looking for a fee in the region of £30-40million. In today’s market, that’s not outrageous for a 25-year-old international full-back, but it is significant money for a player who, at Liverpool, might initially be asked to provide cover for Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong rather than walk straight into the XI.

That’s the calculation facing Liverpool’s hierarchy. Do you commit that level of investment to a player who may start the season as a rotational option? Or do you push those funds towards a forward like Bradley Barcola, whose chase is already being billed as a potential saga of the summer?

These are not abstract questions. They shape how Iraola can build his system, how flexible he can be with his full-backs, how much he can rotate when the fixtures pile up.

A move that makes sense – whether it happens or not

Strip away the noise, and the Spence situation is simple.

From a footballing standpoint, he fits. Age, versatility, recent form, homegrown status – all boxes ticked. He has just proved he can handle the pressure of a World Cup semi-final. He can attack, he can defend, he can play both sides. Under a coach like Iraola, who demands energy and aggression from his wide defenders, he looks like a natural fit.

From an information standpoint, though, there is nothing concrete. No advanced talks. No imminent bid. Just logic, speculation, and the sense that if Liverpool chose to move, they could justify it in an instant.

Tottenham are ready to sell. Inter Milan are circling. Newcastle are lurking. Liverpool, for now, are watching other fires burn – including Barcola and the constant need to plan for life after Salah.

One deal that definitely won’t be happening between the clubs is Cody Gakpo heading the other way, with his future now clarified and a move to Spurs off the table.

So Spence waits. Tottenham wait. Inter and Newcastle wait. And Liverpool, with a squad that still looks one full-back light on each side, have a decision to make.

Do they turn obvious football sense into action, or let a World Cup star who fits their needs walk into someone else’s dressing room?