Leeds United's Daniel Farke hints culture clash behind Djed Spence's departure

The right-back joined on deadline day in September from Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan but the Whites have decided to cut it short.

This despite full-back appearing to be a problem position – Spence made all but one of his five Championship starts on his unnatural left side. Manager Farke did his best to appear relaxed, saying a new full-back was not an immediate priority.

What added to the raised eyebrows was a comment Neil Warnock made when he sold Spence to Tottenham Hotspur on the back of Spence being, along with Boro's Isaiah Jones, the best right wing-back in the in the 2021-22 Championship at Nottingham Forest.

"I told him, 'You could be playing for Bromley next year, or you could be in the Premier League'," said the veteran manager. Since then Spence has made 12 league starts – five with Leeds in the Championship, seven on loan at Ligue 1 Rennes and none in the Premier League with Spurs.

"It's not for me to speak in public about what was missing or the weaknesses of Djed Spence because as long as I'm in charge I want us as a club to handle such a situation with class and style," said Farke, whose side are at Peterborough United in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie.

"We say thanks a lot for your service and wish him all the best because he's a cool guy with lots of potential and a good kid with a great heart."

Nevertheless Farke expanded on what he looks for beyond talent.

"In the summer we came here to bring new values and to create a new culture within the club and when we speak about a player if he's here permanently or on a loan deal we have expectations.

"These are important in several areas – the potential and quality of the player but also his professionalism, discipline, workload on and off the pitch and the soft skills, if he's positive, committed, good for the group and engaged.

"Our demands are very high and we don't differentiate between loan and permanent players. We are pretty picky.

"There is no player in the world who is perfect in all aspects. We have to decide who we want in the squad.

"We analysed what has happened in recent months and came to the decision it's for us as a club the right decision to end the loan."

Those qualities will be a big factor in any recruits Farke makes in what he hopes will be a quiet window for the promotion-chasing squad.

"I've always been careful on this because one thing is the quality and the potential of a player but I've always been on it to get good personalities and character as well," he said, "people desperate to defend the shirt, love the badge and give everything and also be professional and positive with good energy for the group, thinking more about the group than themselves.

"We were quite careful who we brought in during the summer and I think it's the reason why many of the signings worked out.

"We will keep going this way because we've got a good group and we don't want anything that distracts them."

Farke also stressed the factors which went against Spence.

"He came in pretty late and then to suffer an injury which kept him out of team training for eight-and-a-half weeks was also unlucky and no one can be blamed for that," he said.

"When a player comes in on loan the first few weeks are important and if you're spending the first eight-and-a-half weeks training alone at different times it's not the easiest way to integrate to a group.

"Also something tragic happened in his private life and he had to stay on London for a few days.

"When he got back to fitness he had to help a bit on the left, where he hasn't played often in his career.

"These lads don't need sympathy because they lead a privileged life and earn so much money but sometimes it can be difficult and unlucky."