Genoa CEO Andres Blazquez has revealed that both the Serie A club and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Djed Spence would be "happy" to continue their partnership for the 2024-25 season.
The former England youth international has failed to make the grade in North London since arriving from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2022, when Spurs beat Arsenal to his signature.
Spence - whose signing was heavily endorsed by Daniel Levy - arrived at Tottenham on the back of an exceptional loan spell with Nottingham Forest, whom he helped clinch a long-awaited return to the Premier League.
However, following his €14.7m (£12.4m) arrival, Spence totalled a paltry 43 minutes across just six matches under Antonio Conte in the first half of the 2022-23 season, eventually leaving on loan for Rennes.
Spence was also deemed surplus to requirements by Ange Postecoglou and spent the first half of the 2023-24 campaign with Leeds United, although he was hampered by injury and subsequently went to Genoa for the remainder of the term.
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Genoa CEO makes "rich club" claim over Spence future
The defender adapted well to the demands of Serie A football and made 16 appearances for Genoa - eight of them from the first whistle - and a permanent return to Serie A has been mooted.
A deal was plunged into serious doubt over the weekend, though, as it was claimed that Genoa had ended their interest in Spence due to Tottenham demanding up to €7m (£5.9m) to sell the 23-year-old.
That sum would prove cheaper than the €10m (£8.4m) option to buy clause in his loan deal, but Genoa were not prepared to pay the sum of £5.9m and had apparently moved on to other targets.
However, a transfer does not appear to be completely dead in the water, as speaking to Telenord - via Fabrizio Romano - Blazquez affirmed that Spence is keen to remain in Italy, but a move does not necessarily depend on them.
"I'd be happy to keep Djed Spence at the club, he was doing great here on loan... but it doesn't depend on us," Blazquez said. "Spence would be happy to stay at Genoa. But Tottenham are a rich club."
Should Tottenham lower their demands for Spence?
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Since Spence last made a competitive appearance for Tottenham, the Lilywhites have witnessed Pedro Porro cement himself as their first-choice right-back, with Emerson Royal offering competition and backup when necessary.
Spence would therefore be first choice under Postecoglou should he return to Hotspur Way, although there is talk of Emerson potentially moving on this summer, which would elevate the Englishman's place in the hierarchy.
Even then, he could surely only enjoy a few fleeting substitute minutes in the Premier League - in addition to starts in domestic cup competitions - so a parting of the ways this summer is surely the best solution for all involved.
For a 23-year-old player with three years left on his contract, £8.4m seems an incredibly fair price, as does £5.9m, so it is slightly strange to see Genoa refuse to pay the latter fee if reports are to be believed.
The Italian outfit's coffers were boosted significantly by the £21.1m sale of Radu Dragusin to Tottenham in January, and if hotshot striker Albert Gudmundsson leaves for a high fee in the coming weeks, they should realistically have no problem bowing to Spurs' price demands.
Ben Knapton
