Back in the summer of 2024, very few Tottenham Hotspur supporters would have predicted the rise Djed Spence would endure in North London over the last 12 months.
He was signed by Antonio Conte in the summer of 2022, but it was a deal the Italian didn’t want – subsequently excluding him from his plans, restricting the right-back to just six first-team outings.
He was sent on three separate loans between 2022 and 2024, joining the likes of Stade Rennais, Leeds United and Genoa respectively – but he failed to deliver, leading to a permanent move away from the Lilywhites being mooted.
However, last season’s injury crisis handed him valuable minutes in the Premier League – subsequently ending up making a total of 35 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25.
At present, he’s a regular starter under Thomas Frank and is now a full England international – potentially taking the RB role from one other member in the squad.
Pedro Porro's lack of form for Spurs in 2025/26
After registering nine assists across all competitions last season, many Spurs fans will have been expecting Pedro Porro to kick on and reach the next level under Frank’s guidance.
However, the opening months of the season have been tricky for the Spaniard, with the full-back unable to match the expectations of the Lilywhites faithful in North London.
The 26-year-old may have started all but one league outing to date, but his underlying stats show how disappointing he’s been since the Dane took the reins in the off-season.
Porro currently ranks in just the 12th percentile for passes completed in the Premier League for 2025/26, highlighting his wasteful nature, which has seen him register just one assist.
The main asset of his game in recent times has been his ability to travel with the ball into dangerous areas and provide those in the box with the ammunition to find the back of the net.
However, the full-back has only completed 18% of his crosses in the Premier League to date, which ranks him in just the 40th percentile for full-backs at present.
Defensively, Porro has been just as lacklustre, winning just 4.2 duels per 90 and 1.2 tackles, with both figures putting him in the lower end of the table compared to other defenders.
His form will likely be a concern to Frank, with the Dane desperately needing to find an immediate solution to the problems facing him in the right-back area.
How Spurs can solve their Porro problem
Given the huge spending from the Spurs hierarchy in recent years, they will no doubt have huge expectations in Frank to guide the club up the league table in 2025/26.
After the first eight outings, the Lilywhites currently occupy eighth place, losing on just two occasions, but there’s no disputing the side could be in a much healthier position.
His men threw away a one-goal lead against Aston Villa in North London on Sunday, with such a result taking them just a couple of points off the summit had they held on.
The sheer volume of games that face the club this campaign will result in a serious rotation of players – with Archie Gray taking full advantage of his own opportunity on Tuesday.
Eyebrows were raised last summer when the board paid £40m for the 19-year-old’s signature – especially after he had just ended his only previous year as a professional with Leeds United the season prior.
Despite his tender age, he mirrored Spence in taking advantage of the injury crisis, subsequently making 46 appearances across all competitions – many of which were in an unfamiliar centre-back role.
However, despite his lack of action in his regular midfield role, he’s been hugely praised for his immediate impact in North London, with analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him a “future £100m” talent.
Gray was handed his first Champions League start against Monaco earlier this week, operating in a left-back role, but once again showcasing his unbelievable quality.
The teenager won 100% of the tackles he entered, whilst also making four clearances and two interceptions – highlighting his incredible ability out of possession.
He was just as impressive with the ball at his feet, completing 90% of the passes he attempted, with three of which going into the final third, leading to him creating two chances in the process.
At just 19, there’s no denying Gray is a world-class talent with the world at his feet – but his versatility is one asset that could allow him to go one step further than most youngsters in the modern game.
He often featured at right-back during his time at boyhood club Leeds, with Frank desperately needing to utilise him in such a role going forward and drop Porro out of his immediate plans.
The Spaniard has been an excellent addition for the club, but it may be time for fresh blood to stake their claim for a regular starting role to help take the Lilywhites to the next level.