Djed Spence Joins Inter Milan in £30m Deal

Inter Milan have wrapped up a £30m deal for England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham, betting big on a wing-back who has flashed elite potential on the biggest stages.

The agreement includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause, with all sides now satisfied after days of negotiations. Spence was allowed to fly to Italy on Friday for his medical while talks were still being ironed out, but the total package has now been confirmed at £30m.

From World Cup spark to San Siro stage

Spence arrives in Milan on the back of a standout summer. He was one of England’s brightest performers as they claimed third place at the World Cup, his direct running and aggressive defending catching the eye across the tournament.

Yet for all that promise, his path at Spurs had started to close. Pedro Porro is firmly established as the first-choice right-back, while the left side is crowded with Destiny Udogie, Andy Robertson, Souza and Ben Davies all capable of filling in. Minutes were never going to be guaranteed.

Inter have sensed the opportunity. Long in the market for a new right wing-back, they had pushed to land Al Ittihad’s Moussa Diaby but struggled to reach an agreement. The search moved on. The focus sharpened. Spence became the target.

Now he becomes the solution.

A move that suits everyone – for now

Tottenham signed Spence from Middlesbrough in July 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m, with chairman Daniel Levy driving the move. Two years on, Spurs bank significantly more than that initial outlay, having paid £12.5m up front to Boro and now securing a £30m sale.

Spence still had three years left on his contract in north London, plus an option for a further year, so Spurs were under no pressure to sell from a contractual standpoint. The player’s will, and Inter’s need, shifted the landscape.

His six-month loan spell with Genoa from January 2024 proved crucial. Italy suited him. The tempo, the tactical demands, the spotlight without the constant roar of the Premier League. He impressed enough to attract serious interest, and once Inter came calling, he was keen to return to Serie A on a permanent basis.

An emotional farewell

Before heading into his new chapter, Spence addressed Spurs supporters directly on X, signing off with a message that underlined how much the club had meant to him.

“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!!”

One European night. One fanbase. One defender on the move again.

Spurs’ mixed feelings – and next steps

Inside Tottenham, the reaction is layered. On one hand, this is sharp business. As Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam points out, Spurs paid £12.5m to Middlesbrough in 2022 and now collect more than double that fee. For a player whose brilliance has only appeared in bursts in a Spurs shirt, that is a healthy return.

On the other hand, there is a nagging sense of what might have been. Supporters have seen the ceiling. They saw it at the World Cup with England. They saw glimpses of it in those rare, explosive moments when Spence drove forward in a Spurs shirt. Letting that kind of upside leave for £30m will not sit easily with everyone.

Tottenham, though, have not been caught cold. The club have been planning for this scenario and already have potential replacements in mind as they reshape the full-back and wing-back positions around Porro and Udogie.

Inter, for their part, get exactly what they have been searching for: a dynamic, modern wing-back entering his prime years, with World Cup pedigree and Serie A experience already on the CV.

Spence now walks into the San Siro spotlight. If those flashes of brilliance finally turn into consistency, this could be the move that defines the next phase of his career – and makes that 10 per cent sell-on clause very interesting indeed.