Spence spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and played a major role in them winning promotion back to the Premier League after a 23-year absence.
The full-back still has two years left on his contract at Middlesbrough but the Championship side will sell him this summer.
Tottenham have been keeping tabs on him for a while and are pushing to sign him after missing out on Spence in the winter transfer window.
Forest want to keep him as well but are aware Spurs are going to provide fierce competition for his signature.
The newly-promoted Premier League side are hoping to convince Spence to stay at the City Ground through the lure of regular football.
They are likely to argue that it would be better for the full-back’s development to stay at Nottingham Forest and play regularly rather than be a squad player at a Champions League club.
More Premier League clubs are expected to join the race as Spence has been on the radar of several teams who are looking to sign young homegrown talents.
