DJED SPENCE is set to complete his much-debated move from Middlesbrough to Tottenham this weekend after the two clubs finally reached an agreement over the terms of his transfer.

After weeks of negotiations and stand-offs, a deal has been agreed that will see Boro receive the fee they claim to have been demanding since the start of negotiations earlier in the summer.

The Teessiders will not be releasing the exact terms of the final agreement, although it is believed their willingness to stand firm means Spurs have agreed to pay a much bigger proportion of the final sum up front than they had initially been offering. Tottenham should confirm Spence’s signing on a long-term deal shortly.

A senior Boro source has told The Northern Echo the club are "delighted" with the final resolution, with the club's "persistence having paid off".

Spence was given permission to travel to London late on Thursday evening, and will be announced as a Tottenham player once the results of a medical are confirmed and the final details of his personal terms are signed off.

Confirmation of his move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will finally bring an end to a saga that has rumbled on throughout the summer.

Having spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest after failing to see eye-to-eye with former Boro boss Neil Warnock, Spence spelled out his desire to join Tottenham at the start of the summer.

While Forest had initially been keen to re-sign the England Under-21 international, it quickly became apparent that his heart was set on a move to Spurs, but Boro chairman Steve Gibson was adamant the defender would not be allowed to move unless the Teessiders’ financial requirements were met.

Spurs initially entered into a stand-off, and their early negotiations did not result in a deal as the Boro hierarchy remained adamant they would not be allowing Spence to leave on the cheap.

The defender returned to pre-season training at Rockliffe Park earlier this month, but did not train with Boro’s first-team group despite Chris Wilder’s insistence that he would force Spence to honour his contractual ambitions if a move away from Teesside could not be finalised.

Spence was not included in the squad that has been at a pre-season training camp in Portugal this week, hence his ability to make a rapid journey to London once Boro gave him the green light to link up with Spurs.

He leaves Teesside having made 70 senior appearances in a Boro shirt, scoring two goals, although he has not actually played for the club since starting in a 3-2 home defeat to QPR last August.

His exit should speed up the process of Boro making further signings of their own this summer, with Wilder desperately needing to enhance his attacking options ahead of the opening game of the Championship season in two weeks’ time.

Zack Steffen’s arrival will address Boro’s goalkeeping issues, with the US international joining on a season-long loan from Manchester City to take over as the Teessiders’ new number one.

Steffen was due to have a medical today, and could feature in Boro’s next pre-season outing at Morecambe on Tuesday evening. He is expected to start the new campaign as Wilder’s first-choice goalkeeper, with fellow summer signing, Liam Roberts, providing competition and cover as the number two.

The attacking situation is much less clear-cut at this stage, with Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore currently the only senior forwards available.

Boro have held talks over Dwight Gayle, but have shelved a move for the 32-year-old, who still has two years of his current contract with Newcastle United remaining. Similarly, while they have been linked with a possible move for Jordan Rhodes, they are not currently believed to be pursuing the Huddersfield Town striker.

They retain an interest in Venezia’s Thomas Henry, although they will have to persuade the Frenchman to move to England rather than remain in Italy with Hellas Verona if they can agree a deal with his current employers, who value him at around €7m.

They are also long-standing admirers of Vitkor Gyokeres, although Coventry City are demanding a sky-high fee for the Sweden international.