Djed Spence was born on 9 August 2000 in Tottenham, north London, England. He came through the academy of Middlesbrough after joining from the Fulham youth system, and after early senior appearances at Boro he broke through definitively via a season-long loan to Nottingham Forest in 2021-22, where under Steve Cooper he was central to the Tricky Trees' Championship play-off winning campaign and promotion to the Premier League, earning the Championship's Young Player of the Year award.
Tottenham Hotspur signed him in the summer of 2022 for a fee reported at around £12.5 million, but first-team opportunities at Spurs were limited and he spent successive loan spells at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, developing his game across multiple European football cultures.
His loan at Genoa in Serie A in 2024-25 proved a formative experience, where he performed consistently enough to attract renewed interest. He returned to Tottenham's plans and worked to establish himself in the senior squad under Thomas Frank, operating as a right-sided wing-back in their system.
For England he made his debut in June 2022 under Gareth Southgate, capitalising on his standout Championship season form. He has remained a squad option through the 2026 World Cup qualifying period, competing for the right-back and wing-back roles.
Standing 1.80 m, Spence is a right-footed attacking full-back and wing-back whose speed along the right flank, direct crossing ability and willingness to beat his man are his most identifiable attributes. He draws comparisons with Nathaniel Clyne in his Liverpool prime — a physically powerful right-back with an eye for the penalty area at the end of his runs.