Antonio Conte admits club wanted Djed Spence but he greenlit deal as he can become 'important'

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has told that it was the club that wanted to sign Djed Spence and he gave the green light to it because he believes he can become an important player.

Spurs had already signed five experienced, ready-made players in their summer overhaul in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Clement Lenglet. The arrival of 21-year-old Spence from Middlesbrough for £12.5m, plus a potential £7.5m in add-ons, on Tuesday morning is more in keeping with Tottenham's previous transfer profile in buying young players with plenty of potential.

When asked by out on the club's tour of South Korea what he had asked the club's chairman Daniel Levy for this summer, Conte, who has the final say on any signings, admitted that bringing in Spence was not originally his idea but that he was more than happy with greenlighting the arrival of the England U21 international.

"Honestly when I spoke [to the chairman] it was very simple because at the start of the conversation the club was very clear with me and said we reached an important achievement and maybe it was very difficult to think since November when I arrived to go into the Champions League but now we want to continue to grow, to grow together with ambition," said the Italian.

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"Also, for the club, it’s not simple to go into the transfer market and sign players free like Perisic and Forster and sign players on loan like Lenglet, and to sign players with money like Richarlison and Bissouma and Spence.

"Spence is an investment of the club. The club wanted to do it. I said okay, this player is young but he showed he can become a good,