Arsenal will NOT complete cut-price Spence transfer as Middlesbrough extended contract before Forest loan

ARSENAL and Tottenham will not be able to land Djed Spence for a cut-price fee this summer - after Middlesbrough extended his contract by a year.

The flying right-back - On loan at Nottingham Forest from Middlesbrough - is attracting interest from home and abroad thanks to his dazzling FA Cup displays. 

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Spence, 21, shone against Arsenal in the third round before another stunning showing against Leicester last Sunday.

Former Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate gave Spence his debut and said at the weekend that he could fetch £25million.

Inter Milan and Roma are also keen with clubs hoping to take advantage of his Boro deal expiring at the end of next season.

But it has emerged Teessiders chief Neil Bausor took up the option for another year before he moved to Forest at the start of this campaign

Isiah Jones’ emergence at the Riverside means they are hardly missing Spence, leaving Boro in a great position to command a bumper fee this summer.

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Last month Arsenal were reported to be weighing up a swoop for Spence who has made 25 Championship appearances for Forest this term.

It is thought Mikel Arteta believes the starlet could provide competition for Takehiro Tomiyasu, 23, who sealed a £19.8m move to the Emirates from Bologna last September.

And an opening for an additional right-back could be on the cards with Hector Bellerin thought to be likely to leave the Gunners.

The Spain international, 26, could be set to leave permanently this summer following his Real Betis loan move.

A switch to Arsenal could see the highly sought after full-back reunited with his former youth team-mate 21-year-old Emile Smith Rowe.

The duo played for Junior Elite – a South London club who also count Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 24, among their alumni – during their childhood.

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