Djed Spence refused to let a broken jaw shatter his World Cup dream. The Tottenham full-back will wear a protective face mask throughout the tournament in the United States after suffering the injury in a challenge by Chelsea’s Liam Delap during the penultimate Premier League game of the season. “It was painful but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw so I was all good,” Spence said. “I’ve been wearing it in training, getting used to it in the heat.” The 26-year-old, who provided an assist for Harry Kane in England’s win over New Zealand in their first friendly, admitted it has been a “difficult season” but said he is grateful to manager Thomas Tuchel for his loyalty. “It shows the manager believes in me,” Spence added. Tuchel has identified Spence as the fastest player in the squad and praised his one-on-one defending, while his versatility – switching from right-back to left-back – has become a key asset.
While Spence prepares for England’s World Cup opener, Wolves have been busy rebuilding after relegation from the Premier League. The club has signed former England full-back Kieran Trippier on a two-year deal after his contract at Newcastle expired. Trippier, 35, played 160 times for Newcastle and earned 54 England caps. Head coach Rob Edwards said: “We know what we’ve lacked this year – experience, leadership, resilient characters. Tripps ticks every box.”
“Djed Spence will wear a mask at the World Cup after breaking his jaw, while Wolves sign Trippier and target Jimenez.”
Wolves are also in talks to re-sign former striker Raul Jimenez on a free transfer. The 35-year-old, who scored 57 goals in 166 games for Wolves between 2018 and 2023, is currently on international duty with World Cup hosts Mexico. Fulham confirmed this week that Jimenez is among a group of players set to leave when his contract expires at the end of the month, while the club also revealed they are in talks with Harry Wilson over a new deal. Jimenez’s 40 Premier League goals make him Wolves’ all-time top scorer in the English top flight, and a return to Molineux would be a major boost for the Championship side.