Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has delivered an update on Djed Spence after the defender was left out of Antonio Conte’s Premier League matchday squad against Chelsea.

The Lowdown: Chaotic day at the Bridge

The Lilywhites secured a 2-2 draw against the Blues in what was a dramatic encounter at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel going head-to-head in a fiery meeting on the touchline.

None of Fabio Paratici’s new summer signings were named in the starting XI, though there were places on the bench for outfield players Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Richarlison.

However, the 22-year-old was not involved in the action and was nowhere to be seen, and following a fresh update, we now know why…

The Latest: Gold’s Spence update

Taking to Twitter ahead of the Spurs game, Gold revealed that Spence was in attendance, and that the decision not to include him was simply tactical. He wrote:

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“For those asking about Spence. He's here and has travelled with the squad but Conte has gone with a more balanced bench rather than having what would essentially be four right-wing back options among the subs alone if Spence was named as well. Gil gives a third attacking option.”

The Verdict: Regretful signing?

Spence finally joined Tottenham in a £20m move from Middlesbrough last month after being a long-term target of Paratici, but could it be a deal that he might live to regret.

The way the right-back has been treated in the last few weeks has arguably been unusual, with Conte stating that he was a signing by the club rather than himself, before later admitting that he wanted him to improve his game after the pre-season defeat to Roma, despite not playing any part.

Given his age, Spence is more of a signing for the future, but if he doesn’t start getting any opportunities under the Italian, he may have to consider a trip out on loan to continue his development.