Middlesbrough are set to hand Djed Spece a five-year deal to stave off interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

Reports from Evening Standard have suggested that the North London side are keen to make a move for the 19-year-old who has burst onto the scene at the Riverside Stadium.

Spence has featured nine times for Jonathan Woodgate's side and has established himself as a regular starter at right wing-back.

His impressive performances have attracted admiring glances from Jose Mourinho who is  said to be a long term admirer of the youngster.

Prior to his move to Middlesbrough, Spence had played alongside Mourinho's son, Jose Mourinho Jr, in Fulham's academy, and it is thought that the younger Mourinho spoke particularly highly of Spence's performances.

Spurs are thought to be in the market for a right-back, however you'd imagine that any interest in Spence is very much with the future in mind.

Can you name the Middlesbrough players' shirt numbers? Test your knowledge in our quiz!

The Verdict

This is an interesting one.

There can be no doubting the potential that Spence has already shown during his time at 'Boro this season, and you aren't going to find too many people willing to question Jose Mourinho's judgement of a player.

However, at just 19-years-old and with only a handful of senior appearances under his belt, the pressure and expectation of moving to a club such as Spurs means this would be a big step up for Spence, suggesting this may prove to be one for the future.