Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says defender Djed Spence is getting closer to being on the pitch after being named on the bench against Swansea.
The defender, on loan from Tottenham, has only made one appearance this season in September against Sheffield Wednesday. He has been out injured since then.
Spence damaged his lateral collateral ligament in training and was ruled out for months, only making his return to training in the past few weeks.
Farke says Spence is on the right track and expects him to be on the pitch very soon:
“Djed, because of his ability and his potential, I was thinking a lot during last game about him, but in the final stages of the game Pascal Struijk, after he was out for a little bit, had a few cramps and I was forced to have a change on the centre-back position.
“The other changes and substitutes were more like on the offensive positions, also to split the game time a little bit and we have also there, proper competition. So it was not the day to bring him in, but this day could come pretty soon.
“Each and every day on the training pitch helps him and he’s edging closer and closer.”
Spence’s return would be a very welcomed addition for The Whites as it would allow Archie Gray to be moved back into midfield, after the youngster has been filling in at fullback the past couple of games – a move Daniel Farke says would help Gray become a better player:
“Midfielders are often football-intelligent and capable of adapting to tactical necessities so often they can play different positions.
“He can play in the full-back position. I think his natural position is in midfield but we’ll see how his position develops over the next months and years.”
Leeds United are up against Middlesbrough this weekend after beating Swansea City midweek.
