Exclusive: Liverpool eyeing move for England international who they've wanted since 2023

Liverpool are keeping an eye on a full-back that they've wanted to sign since 2023.

Things are changing at Anfield every day at the moment.

Andoni Iraola has made his first appearance as the Reds' manager in front of the media and Victor Munoz has been added to their ranks.

Another rebuild seems to be the plan of action in L4 with Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all exiting already.

And, with the performances that players such as Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch put in last term, bringing in a new midfielder or two could also be on the cards.

However, one of their main problem areas is their defence.

Indeed, Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are going to be like two new signings but, when their lack of experience is taken into account, it's unclear whether they'll be able to step up and fill the void.

The amount of injuries that the Reds suffered last term is also a major worry with Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike both still out of action until who knows when.

So, the fact that Liverpool are trying to be proactive in the market and revisit old targets makes a lot of sense with Richard Hughes and Iraola now looking towards a new full-back to bolster their defensive ranks.

Liverpool have wanted Djed Spence since 2023 and are continuing to keep an eye on him this summer

Anfield Watch understands that Liverpool have kept a close eye on Tottenham's Djed Spence since he played for Rennes.

The Englishman has been one of Thomas Tuchel's most-used players in the 2026 World Cup with the defender unlucky to not have won England a penalty in their 2-1 victory over Hungary.

Even though Liverpool's interest from 2023 came from them going to watch Desire Doue, they ended up doing some assessments on Spence with the Englishman even doing exceptionally well against Doue, who is one of the best one-vs-one ball carriers in Europe.

Liverpool's interest has never escalated to the bid but, Anfield Watch understands that they have always kept tabs on him and are always on the lookout for any market opportunities that may arise.

So, with that in mind, if Tottenham end up having to move someone on due to their spending, the Reds could get a deal for their long-term target over the line.

Liverpool signing Djed Spence makes a lot of sense

Spence has had a bit of a strange career.

He initially found his feet while playing for Middlesbrough where he featured 70 times for the Championship outfit as a right-back and a right-winger.

However, when Neil Warnock was placed in charge of the club, he was outcast and sent away to Nottingham Forest where he became even better and even earned the club promotion to the Champions League.

Then, the following summer after his promotion was when he joined Tottenham for a deal worth up to £20 million.

From that point on, he spent time on loan with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa before returning to N17 at the start of the 2024-25 season and cementing his place in their squad.

From that point on, he's been a regular starter for Spurs where he has even been used as a left-back.

This versatility, coupled with the fact that he's homegrown makes him an ideal player for Liverpool to target this summer.

They need to bolster their defensive ranks in any way possible and, since they're fairly short on homegrown players at the moment, Spence ticks a lot of boxes.

But, since he's been in fairly decent form at the 2026 World Cup, it's unclear how much a deal could end up costing and whether Roberto de Zerbi would even allow him to leave.

However, because of how much Tottenham have already spent this summer, one of their star men may need to be sacrificed for PSR reasons and, if that player ends up being Spence, you can guarantee that Liverpool will look into making a deal possible.

That is, especially with all the defensive changes that have already occurred at Anfield this summer.