Djed Spence: The Full-Back Liverpool Needs?

Liverpool’s summer has been framed by one question: who follows Mohamed Salah? Quietly, another issue refuses to go away.

Andoni Iraola needs full-backs. At least one. Probably two.

On the left, Milos Kerkez is pencilled in as first choice, but he is light on genuine competition. Kostas Tsimikas has returned from Roma and will be put through his paces in pre-season, yet his long‑term role remains uncertain as Iraola studies every corner of this squad before the window shuts on September 1.

Into that gap steps a name few at Anfield would have taken seriously six weeks ago: Djed Spence.

World Cup form changes the conversation

The Tottenham and England defender has gone from peripheral Premier League figure to World Cup standout in a single summer. Inter Milan are currently seen as frontrunners for his signature, with Spurs ready to sanction a sale, and TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has already linked Liverpool and Newcastle with an interest.

That is where Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail comes in. Speaking on Anfield Index’s Media Matters, the Liverpool reporter laid out why, on a purely football level, Spence to Liverpool actually adds up – even if he has heard nothing concrete from Anfield to suggest a move is imminent.

“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, before acknowledging the shift. Spence’s World Cup has forced a rethink.

He has not just been good. He has been one of England’s driving forces in North America. Steele even went as far as to call him England’s best player in the semi-final against Argentina. Perform on that stage and recruitment departments take notice, whether they show their hand or not.

A full-back built for Iraola?

The appeal is obvious. Spence can operate on both flanks, a rare and valuable trait in a modern full-back. Under a coach like Iraola, who demands intensity, aggression and versatility from his wide defenders, that profile fits neatly.

“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.”

That blunt assessment cuts through the noise around Salah’s successor. Liverpool’s back line is being reshaped. Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong are slated as key pieces, but behind them the depth chart thins quickly. A player who can cover both sides, press high, and attack space would ease the strain of a long, multi-competition season.

The question is not whether Spence’s skill set fits. It does. The question is whether Liverpool are actually moving.

Sense, but no sign – yet

Here, Steele is clear. For all the tactical logic, he has no indication that Liverpool are preparing a bid.

“I’ve not heard anything really to suggest that Liverpool are going to make a move for him,” he said. The admiration is there; the evidence of active pursuit is not.

Still, performances like the one against Argentina change internal debates. Clubs reassess lists. Targets move up or down. In that context, Steele can see why Liverpool might decide to act if the numbers fall into place.

“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.”

Spurs, for their part, are not inclined to sell cheaply. On current form and with his World Cup exposure, they are understood to be seeking between £30–40 million for the 25‑year‑old. That fee reflects both his tournament displays and his status as a full England international in a seller’s market.

The price of flexibility

This is where Liverpool’s calculation becomes sharp. Are they willing to commit that level of money to a player who, at least initially, may be viewed as cover for Kerkez and Frimpong rather than an undisputed starter?

Paying £30–40m for a rotational full-back is no longer outrageous in modern football, but Liverpool’s recruitment has traditionally demanded either clear first‑team impact or obvious resale value at that price point. Spence’s age works in his favour. His uneven club career to date does not.

At the same time, the club are juggling other priorities. Steele has also outlined how the chase for Bradley Barcola is shaping up into a sprawling saga, one that could dominate Liverpool’s summer narrative. That pursuit, and the financial commitment it may require, inevitably influences what they can and will do elsewhere in the squad.

One thing is already off the table: any swap talk involving Cody Gakpo. A recent update has underlined the Dutchman’s future lies firmly at Anfield, closing the door on any easy, creative solution between Liverpool and Spurs.

So the situation hangs in the balance. A full-back department that clearly needs reinforcing. A World Cup star who suddenly looks tailor‑made for the role. A price tag that demands conviction.

If Liverpool decide Spence is more than just cover, more than just a convenient fit, this could move quickly. If not, his World Cup surge may end up powering someone else’s back line – and leave Iraola still searching for the full-back who will define his first season at Anfield.