Tottenham have reached an agreement with Inter Milan, who are poised to sign Djed Spence for £26.9million, according to reports. The Italian champions first made contact in June, with Tottenham initially looking for around £36m before considering a sale, but they have had to reduce their demands to get the deal over the line.
Move to Milan and profit details
Spence's move to Milan, where he would play Champions League football, will be finalised pending a medical. Tottenham will only make a minimal £6.9m profit, given what they paid Championship side Middlesbrough to sign Spence in 2022.
Following the arrival of Andy Robertson from Liverpool and the presence of Pedro Porro on the right, Spence's playing time was likely to be limited. Earlier this summer, Roberto de Zerbi admitted he wouldn't stand in his way if Spence wanted to leave, despite wanting to keep him.
De Zerbi's stance and Spence's situation
De Zerbi said: "What I say to you, is the same I said to Djed and to Lucas - 'I would like you to stay'. Not 'I want you to stay'. 'I would like you stay if you want to stay'. 'If you don't want to stay, if you want to leave, you have to leave'. If you want to leave, speak with Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan, because I don't manage the price, the sale. I can speak with Vinai and Johan about the best strategy, but I don't decide £30m, £40m, that's not my position and I don't want to change my position. It's tough enough to be a coach and I want to stay as a coach."
Spence only signed a new four-year contract in north London 12 months ago, but he is keen on moving to the San Siro. De Zerbi's preferred full-backs are set to be Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro, which will limit Spence's game time.
World Cup impact and potential replacement
Spence started four games for England at the World Cup, including the semi-final against Argentina, and Tottenham may seek to cash in while his stock is high. One of the 26-year-old's biggest draws is that he is just as comfortable playing on the left or the right.
Spurs were keen to avoid selling to a direct Premier League rival, with Liverpool loosely interested in the full-back. If Inter were successful with negotiations, Spence would serve as a direct replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who moved to Real Madrid earlier this summer.
