Middlesbrough will demand an initial £20m fee before they consider selling Djed Spence in the summer transfer window.

The right wing-back has spent the past season on loan with Nottingham Forest, where he has excelled, helping Steve Cooper's side to the Premier League after they won the play-offs.

Therefore, it's perhaps no surprise that the Reds want to keep Spence permanently as they prepare for life in the top-flight.

As well as Forest, Spurs are known to be keen admirers, with Antonio Conte wanting to bring in another right-sided player during the transfer window.

So, Boro are expected to cash in and the Sun have revealed that they want an initial £20m fee, with further add-ons, before they do a deal. That would represent great business for the Teesside outfit, who brought Spence to the club in 2018 after he had left Fulham's academy.

Such funds would also give Chris Wilder more freedom in the market as he looks to strengthen his squad following their failure to reach the play-offs this season.

The verdict

Spence is understandably a man in-demand after his performances this season for Forest, so Boro are right to put a hefty price tag on his head.

It does seem a lot but both Spurs and Forest will be desperate to land the player and it will be interesting to see what sort of numbers get offered to Boro for the wing-back.

Either way, it seems inevitable he will depart in the coming weeks as he deserves to be playing in the Premier League and Boro will be able to reinvest to improve Wilder's squad.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.