Tottenham's Djed Spence, with Jamaican and Kenyan roots, nears Leeds United's starting lineup as manager Farke praises his recovery and dedication.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has heaped praise on the promising Tottenham Hotspur loanee Djed Spence as he edges closer to securing a spot in the starting lineup.
The versatile defender, whose family roots trace back to both Jamaican and Kenyan heritage, joined the Championship side on loan for the season earlier in the summer, alongside fellow Spurs defender, Joe Rodon.
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Ayunga looked sharp, finding the target two times as he continues to step up his recovery from a nasty 10-month-long injury.
While Rodon swiftly established himself as a regular starter under Farke's guidance, Spence faced a more challenging path, having made just one appearance off the bench during his loan tenure so far.
Spence had set his sights on rediscovering his form at Elland Road after a disappointing season with Tottenham Hotspur.
However, a debilitating ligament injury in September had put his aspirations on hold, sidelining him from any first-team action.
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Leeds manager Daniel Farke had disclosed to Football.London in late October that Spence was nearing the final stages of his rehabilitation and would soon return to action.
Recent developments have shown the fruits of Spence's determination as he made the bench for Leeds' triumphant 3-1 victory over Swansea City and was once again an unused substitute during the 3-2 win at home against Middlesbrough last Saturday.
Farke expressed his optimism regarding Spence's recovery, stating, "Djed is also in the last stages of his rehab. I hope both of them, Stuart [Dallas] and Djed, can return to team training pretty soon. Djed was out for about eight weeks, so it's not like on the first day back in team training he'll be available for the game; he also needs a bit of training. But I hope that's pretty soon, in the next few days."
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The Yorkshire Evening Post quoted Farke as saying, "It was no gift. Djed has been in training for 11 or 12 days, and you could see him growing from training session to training session. After such a long injury, he can't be there with 100 percent, but we got the feeling he deserved already to be in the squad."
Farke went on to express his admiration for Spence's dedication, remarking,"He was quite on it in training, I was quite impressed. We decided to have him as an option. If he works that hard, especially on his fitness level, each and every day to gain more and more rhythm, he has good chances in the upcoming weeks to be involved with game time."
Leeds United, currently occupying the third spot in the championship standings, are gearing up for their next match on Saturday 9 December against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
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Spence's impending return promises to bolster the team's defensive lineup and introduce an extra dimension to their gameplay.
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