Once this Leeds United man returns, Ipswich Town should start to worry about holding onto 2nd place: Opinion | OneFootball

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Leeds United full-back Djed Spence will be a transformative signing for Daniel Farke's side, and the Whites should have their eyes on second-placed Ipswich Town.

Football Insider reported that Spurs were said to be demanding a loan fee in excess of £1 million to take Spence away from the capital for a season, which Leeds went on to activate late on in the summer transfer window.

Spence 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. The possible concern for Leeds may have been 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 Nottingham Forest extremely productive two seasons ago.

Spence is clearly the club's best right-back, and his short cameo against Sheffield Wednesday proved that. However, he is currently out with knee issue sustained in training, which was said to keep him out for up to eight weeks at the time.

Farke provided an update in his pre-Norwich City press conference and said that the defender is only weeks away from a return to action now.

He has only been able to complete around 10 minutes of football this season, and, despite Luke Ayling, Sam Byram, and Jamie Shackleton all capable of operating at right-back, none have the quality Spence has shown at this level before with Forest.

The 23-year-old would start for almost every side in the league and is a serious upgrade in terms of quality and speed as well. The Whites are well stocked with depth if he is injured, though. They have had to be with Archie Gray also filling in briefly, too.

The Whites went after Farke's former right-back in the form of Norwich's Max Aarons, but after he moved to AFC Bournemouth, Leeds may even have a better option than Aarons. Spence is quicker and more physical than the former Norwich defender, meaning his recovery speed to get back will be more optimal tactically.

Farke likes his right-back to play extremely high and wide to support the attack, and that should suit Spence perfectly in this team, especially when remembering how he was deployed for Nottingham Forest, albeit as a wing-back.

Leeds are expected to have the lion's share of possession in most Championship fixtures this season and Spence slots straight into that position and upgrades it. Byram has operated well in both full-back roles and understands Farke's tactics perfectly, but is best in the inverted left-back role, which Junior Firpo may also be decent at playing.

However, none of Leeds' current right-backs can carry out Farke's game plan as well as Spence will be able to. If Ayling has played high up, then he has been caught out when recovering back the other way defensively. Shackleton and Gray are more midfielders and don't necessarily possess the raw athleticism and attacking capabilities of Spence.

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. You wouldn't bet against him doing similar when he returns to action in West Yorkshire.

Should Ipswich be worried about Leeds?

His re-introduction will see a Leeds team carrying out their instructions to an even better level than they are currently. They already have a strong defensive unit, and with Byram inverting to move centrally next to Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon - that foundation will remain strong at the back and allow Spence more freedom down the right-hand flank.

Ipswich Town are the pace-setters in the division alongside Leicester; however, the Foxes have far more depth than Ipswich and look like a side capable of maintaining a top-two push. Leeds started slowly but have won five of their last eight league games, drawing two and losing just once.

The slow start was down to a messy transfer window, which has now concluded and Leeds have far more options than in their first three league games. They, like Leicester have the depth that can sustain a few injuries and Spence exemplifies that.

Without him, they have been in fantastic form, so the level they could achieve with him is a frightening thought. Ipswich should still be in the mix come the end of the season, but can they afford an injury to a key player like Leif Davis, Conor Chaplin, Nathan Broadhead, or

Luke Woolfenden? Not in the same way Leeds and Leicester can.

Their vast resources as newly-relegated clubs from the Premier League give them a huge advantage in the long-run and Ipswich should be glad to have the points tally they have achieved already, to give themselves some breathing room on Leeds and others in the chasing pack.

Leeds look the most well-placed tactically, quality-wise, and with the depth for a 46-game slog of a season to be the best among the current play-off sides. They have to make up the ground, but with Spence back, they should be an even more frightening prospect for the rest of the division.