Inter Milan Secures £30m Deal for Djed Spence from Tottenham

Inter Milan have agreed a £30m deal to sign England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham, closing in on a move that reshapes both clubs’ plans at full-back.

The agreement, understood to include a 10 per cent sell-on clause, comes after Spence was granted permission to travel to Italy for a medical while talks continued. Those negotiations have now produced a full package worth £30m, clearing the way for the 24-year-old to join the Serie A champions.

Inter get their wing-back

Inter have been scouring the market for a new right wing-back and had pushed hard for Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby. That pursuit stalled. Their attention then switched to Spence, whose stock rose sharply after an impressive World Cup campaign as England claimed third place this summer.

In Simone Inzaghi’s system, the wide roles are pivotal. Inter wanted energy, one‑v‑one quality and a defender comfortable pushing high. Spence ticks all of those boxes and arrives with the added bonus of already having sampled Italian football.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at Genoa from January 2024, a six‑month spell he enjoyed and which helped convince him to commit to a permanent move back to Serie A.

Tottenham cash in – but at a cost?

From Tottenham’s side, this is a business decision as much as a football one.

Spurs signed Spence from Middlesbrough in July 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m, with an initial outlay of around £12.5m. Two years on, they are banking more than double that initial fee, plus inserting a sell-on clause that protects them if his value explodes in Italy.

Yet the move leaves a lingering sense of what might have been. Spence showed flashes of his talent in a Spurs shirt and underlined his potential with England at the World Cup, but never nailed down a regular place in north London.

His path was blocked on both flanks. Pedro Porro is firmly established as first-choice right-back, while on the left Ange Postecoglou can call on Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Souza and Ben Davies. With three years left on his contract, and an option for a further year, Spence was tied down long term – but not guaranteed minutes.

The logjam at full-back, plus his desire to return to Italy, pushed all parties towards a clean break.

Spurs already planning the next move

Tottenham, for their part, have not been caught cold.

“Spurs have been preparing for this and have irons in the fire for his potential replacement,” reported Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam, underlining that the club anticipated serious interest in Spence after his World Cup displays.

Supporters may feel conflicted. On one hand, the club have turned a healthy profit on a player who never became a regular starter. On the other, there is the nagging worry that £30m could look cheap if Spence thrives in a system built around his strengths.

Inter are betting that he will. Spurs are betting that they can replace him – and that this is the peak of his value.

Only the coming season will reveal who called it right.