Forget Max Aarons, this available Tottenham full-back is the perfect alternative for Leeds United: Opinion | OneFootball

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Life back in the Championship for Leeds United has got off to a difficult start under the reign of two-time winner, Daniel Farke.

The campaign so far has been overshadowed by off-field issues, with Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra refusing to be involved for the Whites of late.

Amidst that, there has also been a mass exodus of players from the club, too, as is to be expected following relegation to the second tier.

The Whites can be expected to be among the favourites for promotion this season under the tutelage of Farke, but have failed to win in any of their opening three league fixtures.

He has so far been able to recruit four players: Chelsea midfielder Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow from Newcastle United, the re-signing of Sam Byram on a free transfer following his release from Norwich City, and Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur.

That is far outweighed by the list of departures, though. The sizeable list includes: Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts, Alfie McCalmont, Joel Robles, and Adam Forshaw.

Whilst there has also been seven loan exits from the club, too: Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Marc Roca, Max Wober, and Jack Harrison have all completed temporary departures for the 2023/24 season.

They will need to add more with only a little under two weeks left to complete deals, but it hasn't been for the want of trying. The Whites pushed hard to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City, with the right-back instead opting for the Premier League and AFC Bournemouth instead.

Who could Leeds target instead of Max Aarons?

The loan market may be a smart way to complete deals late in the window, and there is usually a flurry of them across the Championship, with Premier League managers making players available who need regular football for this season.

One option could be Djed Spence of Tottenham Hotspur, who has had difficulty breaking through at the Spurs since he joined from Middlesbrough for an eight-figure fee last summer.

Spence has played just 41 minutes of football for Spurs and made only five appearances, all of which have come as a substitute during his spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He could be available for loan again this month, with a report from The Evening Standard suggesting that Spence was one of a number of squad players that new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was ready to let leave this summer.

Football League World revealed last week that the Premier League club were open to a Championship loan assuming the team in question fit the right profile and you'd have to assume that Leeds under Farke would do so.

Would Djed Spence be a good signing for Leeds?

It's possible that the Whites could opt to use Luke Ayling and Cody Drameh this term, but with the former turning 32 this month, and the latter also linked to Southampton. According to Fabrizio Romano, Martin has identified the right-back as a key transfer target.

Thus, it appears that a right-back will remain on Farke and co.'s shortlist for the remainder of the window. Aarons was a full-back who played high and wide in Farke’s system at Norwich - and although Spence’s best football came as a right-wing-back - he would likely be operating in similar areas with the same amount of freedom he had for Nottingham Forest on loan.

The concern may be that he has not played much of late and could be short of sharpness, but due to a lack of game time with Spurs, he spent the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Rennes.

The 23-year-old was not altogether convincing in France, featuring just 10 times and losing his place in the starting line up for the final months of the campaign. However, the second tier could be the exact thing he needs to rejuvenate a stalling year of his career, with his spell at Forest extremely productive two seasons ago.

The main reason he makes enormous sense is that an argument could be had that he’s as close to the same stylistic fit and profile as Aarons is, and is a player Leeds must now sign as the next best alternative option.

His quality in the final third, and his pace, could make him a huge asset in a ball-dominant Leeds team, and his ability to hug the byline and dominate the entire flank à la Aarons is ideal for Farke.

Defensively, Spence isn't the sturdiest; but that perhaps explains why the Premier League move came too soon, and it would not be an issue for Leeds, who are expected to have the lion's share of possession in most Championship fixtures this season.

The last time he played at this level, he made the Championship Team of the Season in 2020/21, playing in 46 games in all competitions for Forest, scoring three goals and collecting a further five assists.