Romano pours cold water on Liverpool’s Djed Spence links amid Anfield rebuild
Liverpool’s rumoured pursuit of Djed Spence has hit the buffers — at least for now. Transfer oracle Fabrizio Romano has played down talk of an Anfield swoop for the Tottenham full-back, even as Andoni Iraola oversees a sizeable summer shake-up on Merseyside.
The Reds are retooling after a bruising few months that saw Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson depart on frees. Victor Munoz has checked in, with Jeremy Jacquet’s earlier deal now counted in this window, but the full-back berths remain a live topic given Robertson’s exit and Conor Bradley’s injury.
Romano cools the chatter
Speaking on GIVEMESPORT’s Market Madness podcast, Romano made it plain he’s heard nothing concrete to tie Liverpool to Spence. In short: there’s no active move from the Reds’ side, though he didn’t rule out a late twist if circumstances change down the line.
Why Spence’s name keeps cropping up
Spence, 25, is on plenty of shortlists for good reason. He put in a strong campaign at Spurs, helping them steer clear of the trapdoor, then caught the eye at the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel as England finished third. Comfortable on either flank, he offers the sort of athletic flexibility modern managers crave. Even so, Spurs are ready to green-light an exit with their full-back department well stocked — and the player wants week-in, week-out minutes.
World Cup numbers that back the buzz
Across 4 appearances (403 minutes) at the tournament, Spence’s per-90 defensive output read: 2.4 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 2.1 clearances and 0.3 blocks. That’s tidy, tournament-grade work from a defender who only recently came to the fore after a stuttering 2023/24 at Leeds in the Championship.
Big praise and bigger suitors
Tuchel has raved about Spence’s pace — the quickest in his England group, by his reckoning — and TV heavyweights Ian Wright and Gary Neville went as far as calling him England’s standout defender at the World Cup. Naturally, the queue has formed: Manchester United are exploring him as an alternative to Lewis Hall, while Newcastle are also weighing him up as they consider their own options at full-back.
What it means for Liverpool
For the moment, Spence-to-Anfield is one to park. Iraola’s rebuild still has full-back on the to-do list, but the intel says Liverpool aren’t pushing for the Spurs man. Do keep an eye on the wings, though: the club are expected to return with an improved offer for Paris Saint-Germain livewire Bradley Barcola.
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World Cup statistics via WhoScored, correct as of 06/08/2026.
