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Djed Spence Swaps Spurs for Inter Milan and It Makes Sense for Everyone

Marcus Osei
Marcus Osei Senior Football Writer & Analyst
Aug 16, 2026
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Djed Spence Swaps Spurs for Inter Milan and It Makes Sense for Everyone

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Djed Spence is heading to the San Siro. Inter Milan have wrapped up a deal worth around 30 million euros for the England full-back, and honestly, when you look at the full picture, this is a transfer that makes a lot of sense for every party involved.

Spurs get good money for a player who was no longer first choice. Inter get a proven Serie A-ready defender. And Spence gets a fresh start at one of Europe's elite clubs. Let's get into it.

Why Spurs Were Happy to Sell

The writing was on the wall once Pedro Porro signed a new contract in June. Porro is clearly the preferred option at right-back for Roberto de Zerbi, and with Andy Robertson arriving from Liverpool to cover the left, Spence found himself squeezed out of the picture before the season had even kicked off.

De Zerbi did say he wanted to keep Spence around, but sentiment rarely wins out over squad logic. Spurs paid £12.5 million for him back in 2022, and they're getting back more than double that. From a Premier League business perspective, that's a clean profit on a player who helped them win the Europa League in 2025. You can't argue with those numbers.

What Spence Brings to the Serie A Champions

This isn't a gamble by Inter. Spence already did six months on loan at Genoa in 2024, so he's not walking into Italian football blind. He knows the rhythms of Serie A, the defensive discipline it demands, and the physical intensity of the league. That experience matters more than people realise.

On top of that, he played every single minute of England's eight games at the World Cup as Thomas Tuchel's side finished third. That's not a bit-part player. That's someone who's earned the trust of an international manager at a major tournament. Inter are getting a 26-year-old in his prime who has proven himself at the highest level.

He's athletic, he can bomb forward, and he's not fazed by big occasions. That combination fits perfectly into Simone Inzaghi's system, which loves overlapping wing-backs who can contribute in both boxes.

The John Stones Connection and What It Signals

What catches our eye is that Spence is the second England player to move to Inter this summer, following John Stones who joined after leaving Manchester City. That's no coincidence. Inter have clearly identified the Premier League as a recruitment hunting ground, and they're specifically targeting players who have the physical and tactical profile to slot into their setup without a lengthy adjustment period.

For the Premier League as a whole, it raises an eyebrow. Top English talent is starting to move toward Italy rather than staying within the league or chasing Spanish football. Whether that's a one-summer blip or a growing trend is worth watching, especially with Inter now holding back-to-back Serie A titles and a clear project in place.

From a betting angle, Inter starting the season with two battle-hardened Premier League players in their defensive setup makes them look an even more solid proposition for the Scudetto market. We'd be looking at their Serie A title odds closely before they shorten further.

Our Read on This Deal

Spence leaving Spurs feels like the right call at the right time. He gave everything to the club, bagged a Europa League winners medal, and now he gets to test himself in the Champions League with Inter. That's a career progression move you can't fault.

For Tottenham, the funds free up space to strengthen elsewhere, and with de Zerbi building something interesting at the club, reinvesting that 25 million pounds wisely could make a real difference to their Premier League top-four push this season.

If you're building an accumulator around Serie A outrights, Inter just got stronger. Two big English internationals in key positions, a manager who knows how to win titles, and a squad that's hungry to stay at the top. The value on Inter for the Scudetto might not last long.

Marcus Osei

Editorial Note: Marcus Osei

Senior football writer and tactical analyst with 12+ years covering the Premier League, Champions League, and world football. Born in Accra, raised between London and Kuala Lumpur.

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