Meet Tottenham Hotspur Footballer With Central Kenya Roots
Wanyama remains the only Kenyan to have featured in the EPL, but Spurs signed Djed Spence in July 2022
Marvin Chege 
The last time English Premier League (EPL) club Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) gained popularity in Kenya was when former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama played for the club, which he joined in June 2016.
Before that, he made history as the first Kenyan to feature in the English Premier League, joining Southampton in July 2013 from Scottish powerhouse Celtic. Wanyama departed Tottenham Hotspur in March 2020 after making 97 appearances, scoring seven goals, and playing a crucial part in their 2018/19 UEFA Champions League campaign where Spurs reached the final.
Wanyama remains the only Kenyan to have featured in the EPL, but Spurs signed Djed Spence in July 2022, a full-back who can play primarily as a right-back but can also play as a left-back.
He is the younger brother of actress Karla-Simone Spence and was born on August 9, 2000, in London to a Jamaican father and a Kenyan mother. This makes him eligible to play either for Kenya, Jamaica, or England on an international level.
Tottenham Hotspur player Djed Spence in action against Manchester United. /THE STANDARD UK
The specifics of when and why she left the country remain unclear. However, since Djed Spence was born in England in 2000, it indicates that she relocated earlier.
Spence's mother, Aisha, is originally from Central Kenya but has lived the majority of her life in the United Kingdom. She is the co-founder and director of BeSpoke Art Services Limited, a company specializing in artwork framing. Her educational background includes studies at the West of England College, Lewisham College, and Goldsmiths University.
Aisha was instrumental in Spence’s early football journey, regularly attending his matches and even helping with kit washing at Junior Elite, where he honed his skills.
Spence joined Tottenham Hotspur following an outstanding 2021-2022 season with Nottingham Forest, where he played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League. However, he struggled for game time under then-manager Antonio Conte, resulting in loan spells at Rennes, Leeds United, and Genoa.
Ahead of the 2024-2025 season, Spence impressed in preseason, earning a contract extension until October 2028. His strong form carried into the campaign, where injuries to teammates saw him deployed in an unfamiliar left-back role—one he adapted to effortlessly.
His defining moment came on February 22, 2025, when he netted his first Premier League goal in a 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town, following a series of assists in previous matches and goals in domestic cup competitions.
This season, Spence has won over Spurs fans with his dynamic runs from defense, frequently driving forward to create dangerous attacking opportunities in the final third.
With the spotlight on him at Tottenham Hotspur, English broadcaster Gary Lineker suggested that Spence could be the answer to England’s left-back dilemma. Following his man-of-the-match performance against Manchester United, Lineker remarked on his podcast, The Rest is Football:
"It is funny that about a year ago, we were talking about England's left-back problem. Then, suddenly, you get three emerging at once with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Lewis Hall and Djed Spence. Three young players suddenly look strong in that position, and I think one will be playing in Thomas Tuchel’s first game – fighting for that position.”
Spence has been linked with a potential call-up to the Harambee Stars but has yet to commit to representing Kenya. So far, his only international experience has been with England’s U-21 squad, leaving the door open for a senior national team selection.
Despite his towering presence at over six feet, Spence is known for his defensive intelligence and has been hailed as a ‘complete’ full-back, drawing comparisons to legends like Ashley Cole, Marcelo, Roberto Carlos, and Philipp Lahm.
With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers approaching, England manager Thomas Tuchel could call him up, likely ending any prospects of him playing for Kenya. While he is also eligible to represent Jamaica, there has been little discussion regarding that possibility.
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