Inter Milan Close In on Tottenham's Djed Spence in £25.6m Deal
Inter Milan are in advanced talks to sign Tottenham and England full-back Djed Spence in a deal worth a minimum of £25.6m (€30m), with the Italian champions believing a total package of £30m (€35m) could be enough to get it over the line (BBC Sport; Sky Sports).
The Athletic first reported on 11 August that Spurs and Inter were negotiating a fee in the region of €30m (The Athletic). By the following day, BBC Sport described the talks as advanced, and Sky Sports reported that Tottenham are willing to sell if the right offer arrives.
Spence is 26 and under contract in north London until 2029. He joined Spurs from Middlesbrough in a £20m move in July 2022 and has since made 85 appearances for the club (BBC Sport). Last season, he was named in Tottenham's Premier League starting XI 23 times — a regular, if not an untouchable one.
So why would Spurs let him go? Sky Sports' Michael Bridge reported that the relationship between Spence and head coach Roberto De Zerbi has frayed, with the player seeing himself as a guaranteed starter in a way the manager does not (Sky Sports). A full-back, for the uninitiated, is a defender who operates on the far left or right of the back line — modern ones like Spence are expected to defend stoutly and bomb forward to support attacks. When the player and the coach disagree on the pecking order, something usually gives.
Tottenham have already begun identifying potential replacements (BBC Sport), a strong signal that they are preparing for life after Spence rather than merely fielding enquiries.
This is not Inter's first raid on north London this summer. As far back as late July, Sky Sports reported that the Serie A side had Tottenham captain Cristian Romero on their shortlist alongside Spence (Sky Sports). Whether the Romero interest develops into a concrete bid remains open, but the pattern is clear: Inter are shopping at Spurs and see value there.
For Spurs fans, the prospect of losing a 26-year-old England international who started nearly half their league games last season will sting — particularly to a Champions League contender. The saving grace, if there is one, is that Tottenham hold the leverage. Spence has three years left on his deal, and the club will not sanction a sale below their valuation.
The transfer window, that twice-yearly period when clubs can register new players, runs through the summer. Both sides have reason to move quickly: Inter want their man settled before the Serie A campaign gathers momentum, and Spurs need time to find a replacement before the deadline closes the door on incomings.
