Looking at the Positives of Djed Spence's Sale
Feels like we've been mourning this transfer for ages so I wanted to look at it from a more positive perspective.
Yes, I am sad to see Djed go, and £30 million does seem a little cheap.
But, as many have pointed out, he was pretty far down the pecking order, and I think his stock probably would have fallen had he stayed.
He wasn't quite the electric attacking full-back he was often painted to be.
He was an exceptional ball-carrier with great pace and a top-level 1v1 defender. But his attacking output was often underwhelming.
His 0.4 chances created per 90 minutes and 19.6% crossing success put him well below Premier League average for a full-back.
He was dispossessed 29 times last season, more than 84% of Premier League full-backs. For a system that emphasises press-baiting, that represents a significant risk.
I'm by no means trying to take away from the player he was. I just think he was always going to be a backup in De Zerbi's system. We arguably sold him at peak value, meaning we can use that money to fund a better-suited backup.
I also like the precedent it sets. For too long, Levy and co. were known for holding on to players long after they had asked to leave.
I genuinely think his sale was in the best interests of the club's long-term prospects.
If anyone's interested in a deeper dive into the transfer, I wrote about it here: