Harambee Stars Prospect Djed Spence Reveals How Bad Blood With Antonio Conte Threatened To Kill Tottenham Career

Harambee Stars prospect Djed Spence has opened up about how he was uncomfortable working with Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

Antonio Conte was manager at Tottenham when Spence joined in summer 2022, but what should have been the biggest move of his career soon turned sour as personalities clashed.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News from Pulse Sports.

The Italian tactician was not a fan of Spence, even denying the prospect of playing in his career that was just getting started.

"It wasn't a nice feeling. I was coming to the club on a high, I was confident, I was buzzing, and had just won promotion. Then it was like running into a brick wall," Spence told BBC Sports.

"I knew it was rubbish at the time. It wasn't a nice feeling. I feel like whatever I did, that man [Conte] wasn't happy about anything. He's not really a complimenting guy."

Amid a chaotic season at Spurs, a player previously on the fringes has emerged as a key asset. Spence has been a vital cog under Ange Postecoglou since December as Tottenam suffered a spate of serious injuries.

This granted Spence, 24, the opportunity to stake claim for his position in the team. Even though Spence is yet to hit dizzying heights expected of him, he appreciated the fact that there's room for improvement.

"I just want to keep establishing myself [and] play for my country as well. To achieve that I've just got to keep improving and stay focused."

Spence has been one of the most compelling individual stories this season – a breakthrough at age 24 that comes comparatively late for a top-flight footballer.