Djed Spence Joins Inter Milan from Tottenham for £30m
Inter Milan have completed the signing of England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham in a deal worth £30m, closing out one of the summer’s more intriguing full-back moves.
The agreement includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause for Spurs, a detail that underlines how highly the north London club still rate the 24-year-old, even as they let him leave.
From World Cup breakout to San Siro stage
Spence was granted permission to fly to Italy on Friday for his medical while the two clubs thrashed out the final details. Those talks are now done, the total package agreed, and Inter have their new right wing-back.
His stock has rarely been higher. Spence shone for England during their run to third place at this summer’s World Cup, showcasing the athleticism and one‑v‑one defending that first pushed him onto the radar of Europe’s elite.
At Spurs, though, the path was blocked. Pedro Porro is firmly established as first-choice right-back, while the left side is crowded with Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Souza and Ben Davies all capable of filling that role. Minutes would have been hard to find.
Inter, hunting for a new option at right wing-back, had initially chased Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby but struggled to get that deal over the line. The focus switched to Spence, and once it did, the move gathered pace quickly.
A return to Italy – this time for good
Spence still had three years left on his Tottenham contract, with an option for a further season, but his mind was open to a fresh start. A six‑month loan spell with Genoa from January 2024 had already given him a taste of Serie A and Italian football’s rhythm. He liked it.
Tottenham originally signed him from Middlesbrough in July 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m, a transfer driven by chairman Daniel Levy and viewed at the time as a long-term investment in a dynamic, modern full-back.
Two years on, they more than double their initial outlay, but lose a player who never quite had the platform to show his full range in a Spurs shirt.
“A special chapter comes to an end”
Spence said his goodbyes on X with a message that carried the weight of a player who knows he leaves unfinished business behind.
“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!!”
For Tottenham supporters, that “night in Bilbao” reference will sting a little, a reminder of a European evening when his talent flashed in full colour.
Spurs cash in – but at what cost?
Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam summed up the mixed emotions around the deal. Spurs fans, he said, have only seen Spence’s “brilliance in flashes” in north London, with his World Cup performances offering a clearer picture of what he could become.
Tottenham paid £12.5m to bring him in from Middlesbrough in 2022 and now bank more than twice that figure. On the balance sheet, it looks smart. On the pitch, the feeling is different.
McAdam noted the lingering frustration: this fee does not feel huge for a player who could yet develop into a major figure at the top level. Spurs, though, have not been caught cold. They have been planning for this departure and already have potential replacements lined up.
Inter get their attacking wing-back, a World Cup standout entering his prime, hungry after a stop-start spell in England. Spurs walk away with profit and a gap to fill.
The real verdict on this move will not be written in balance sheets or clauses, but on the San Siro touchline, when Djed Spence finally gets the regular stage his talent has been demanding.
