Inter Milan Sign Djed Spence from Tottenham for £30m

Inter Milan have landed England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham in a £30m deal, sealing a move that has been building ever since his standout summer on the international stage.

The agreement, understood to include a 10 per cent sell-on clause, was finalised after Spence flew to Italy on Friday with permission from Spurs to undergo a medical while talks between the clubs continued. Those negotiations are now over. Inter have their new right-sided weapon; Tottenham have banked a sizeable profit.

Inter find their wing-back

Inter have been scouring the market for a right wing-back and had pushed hard for Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby, only to hit a wall in those discussions. The search moved on. The focus sharpened on Spence, whose profile – aggressive, athletic, attacking from deep – fits the role Simone Inzaghi demands in his system.

With Pedro Porro locked in as Tottenham’s first-choice right-back and the left flank crowded by Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Souza and Ben Davies, Spence’s route to regular minutes in north London looked increasingly blocked. For a player fresh from starring in England’s run to third place at this summer’s World Cup, the bench was never going to be enough.

He had three years left on his Spurs deal, with an option for a further year, but the pull of Italy was strong. His six-month loan spell at Genoa from January 2024 left its mark, and when Inter came calling, the decision quickly took shape.

A profitable but bittersweet exit for Spurs

Tottenham signed Spence from Middlesbrough in July 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m. Two years on, they sell him for £30m, more than doubling the initial £12.5m outlay reported at the time of the transfer. From a business standpoint, it is tidy work.

On the pitch, the feeling is more complicated.

“Spence is a player Spurs fans will say they have seen his brilliance in flashes. You saw his brilliance at the World Cup with England,” Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam said, capturing the mood around the club.

“They may also think it is frustrating. They paid £12.5m for him from Middlesbrough in 2022, a deal that Daniel Levy did. They are getting more than two times what they paid for him.

“But they will also say it doesn’t feel like a lot of money for a player who could be so important. Spurs have been preparing for this, though, and already have potential replacements in mind.”

Tottenham, then, walk a fine line: financially satisfied, competitively unsure. The recruitment team has already moved on to the next name. The fans may take a little longer.

Spence says goodbye

Before heading to Milan, Spence took to X to close the chapter.

“A special chapter comes to an end,” he wrote. “It’s been some journey, with plenty of memories, moments and experiences that I’ll carry with me for forever, especially that night in Bilbao.

“Thanks to all the staff members who’ve helped me along the way, the players who’ve become family and most importantly thank you to the fans.

“It’s time for a new chapter, but Spurs will always have a place in my heart. COYS!!”

The words read like a player who knows he never quite showed everything he had in a Spurs shirt, but who leaves with no bitterness and a suitcase full of what-ifs.

Inter, by contrast, see possibility, not regret. They are betting £30m that the flashes Tottenham saw become a full 90-minute reality in Serie A and beyond. If they are right, that 10 per cent sell-on clause might not be the last time Spurs feel Spence’s impact.