Spurs appear to be heading into a key stretch of the window with a defensive reshuffle under way.
That matters. Even in an era of flexible systems, full-back depth is not a luxury. It is central to build-up play, pressing and recovery runs over a long season. If Tottenham lose Spence, replacing his role quickly becomes part of the broader rebuild rather than a separate move.
Gusto is the kind of target top clubs keep circling because he fits the modern brief.
The update says his situation at Stamford Bridge has become less clear after new competition arrived this summer. If that is accurate, Tottenham would at least be shopping in a market where the player may be open to a move.
The biggest obstacle is obvious.
That leaves Spurs with a familiar late-window question: pay for the first-choice option or pivot to a more realistic alternative.
Tottenham’s next move will be worth watching. If Spence’s exit is completed soon, the pressure to land a right-back will rise quickly - and whether that is Gusto or another name could say plenty about the club’s ambitions in this window.