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, sealing a move that has felt inevitable ever since his breakout summer on the international stage.
The agreement includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause, with Spurs protecting themselves in case Spence’s development explodes in Serie A. Inter, hunting for a dynamic right-wing-back all window, have finally got their man.
Spence was granted permission to travel to Italy on Friday for a medical while talks rumbled on in the background. By the time the weekend settled, the two clubs had thrashed out the final details and closed a package that more than doubles what Spurs initially paid.
For Tottenham, the decision is as much about squad reality as it is about balance sheets. Spence, one of the standouts in England’s run to third place at this summer’s World Cup, was staring at a crowded path to minutes in north London. Pedro Porro has nailed down the right-back role, while on the opposite flank Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Souza and Ben Davies can all operate at left-back. A talent, yes. A guaranteed starter, no.
Inter sensed the opportunity. After failing to land Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby, they pivoted quickly to Spence, identifying him as the profile they needed for Simone Inzaghi’s wing-back system – athletic, aggressive, and comfortable driving high up the pitch. His six-month loan at Genoa from January 2024 only strengthened his hand; he knows the league, he knows the tempo, and he clearly enjoyed the experience enough to push for a return.
Spence still had three years left on his Spurs contract, with an option for a further year, but the pull of regular football in a system built for wing-backs proved decisive. Tottenham, who brought him in from Middlesbrough in July 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m, now bank a significant profit and a slice of any future sale.
The defender marked his exit with an emotional farewell on X, writing: “A special chapter comes to an end. 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!!”
Inside the club, there will be mixed feelings. As Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam put it, Spurs supporters have only seen Spence’s “brilliance in flashes” in a Tottenham shirt, while his World Cup displays for England hinted at a much higher ceiling. The numbers, though, are hard to ignore: they paid £12.5m to Middlesbrough in 2022 and now receive more than double that.
Yet the nagging thought lingers: is £30m enough for a player who could become a cornerstone in his position for years?
Tottenham have at least braced for this moment. Plans for life after Spence have been in motion, with potential replacements already identified and scouted. Inter, meanwhile, have their new weapon on the flank, a World Cup standout stepping into a Champions League-chasing side.
One club cashes in. The other bets big on upside. The real verdict will come on the touchline of San Siro, when Djed Spence starts to show whether this is simply smart business for Spurs – or a sale they come to regret.
