Football Italia

England international Djed Spence is expected to land in Italy tonight, then have his Inter medical for the €35m including add-ons move from Tottenham Hotspur on Friday.

The two clubs shook hands after lengthy negotiations this week, with a fixed fee of €31.5m plus bonuses to reach the €35m mark.

Spurs can also retain a 10 per cent cut of the future sale as part of the bonuses.

Spence should arrive for Inter tonight

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spence has already packed his bags and is expected to land in Milan this evening.

He can then spend the night in a hotel to prepare for Friday’s medical tests, which must be performed first with the club, then the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) specialists.

Once those tests are completed, he can sign the five-year contract, which is believed to be worth €2.6m per season plus performance-related bonuses.

It has been suggested that Spence has already chosen his shirt, taking the Number 24 that was worn in the past by another ex-Tottenham player, Christian Eriksen.

Spence is no stranger to Italy, having already been at Genoa on loan for six months in 2024.

Roberto De Zerbi is looking forward to facing fellow Italian Enzo Maresca when Tottenham take on Manchester City, noting they made friends in the Milan youth academy, so both got to know Franco Baresi.

The coach is starting his first full season at Spurs, having taken over during dire circumstances in March and just about steering them out of the relegation zone.

There is a very Italian feel to the Premier League this term, as not only is De Zerbi at Tottenham, but Maresca replaces Pep Guardiola at Manchester City too.

De Zerbi reunited with Maresca

“We had already met as opponents when he was on Guardiola’s staff, but never I think as head coaches,” confessed De Zerbi to Sky Sport Italia.

“I’m pleased because he is a friend. Enzo and I have known each other since we were 13 years old. He had a few years in the Milan youth academy with me, but then he left and we lost sight of each other. Once we crossed paths again, we made sure to remain in contact.

“He’s become a great coach. His path was different to mine, but I am very happy for him. He was already at a big club last season with Chelsea, and now is in charge of another top team.”

You can read the rest of De Zerbi’s interview here.

Tottenham were battling to avoid relegation last season, but De Zerbi hopes they will have a very different experience this time around.

“We can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to create a clear playing style and give a soul to this team. If the results were lacking in previous years, it may well be because those elements were missing.

“The Premier League is very competitive, so many talk about ‘projects,’ but very few manage to see them through. We want to be here for many years and take Tottenham back to the top of the table. It’s no guarantee that just having a good transfer campaign will be enough to immediately challenge with the top teams. We’ll see.”

Both De Zerbi and Maresca were in the Milan youth academy, which means they got to see legend Baresi when he was at the club.

The iconic defender died last month at the age of 66 after treatment for cancer.

“I suffered a great deal at this news, because I trained for several years with the Milan team of Invincibles: Baresi, Maldini, Tassotti, Costacurta, Boban and the others,” explained De Zerbi.

“Baresi was truly special, and I can say that first hand. Perhaps it helped that we were both from Brescia, but he always had a very affectionate rapport with me. He’d wink, give me a pat on the back.

“I was just a kid, aged 14, 15, 16, and his presence was just incredible. There are some moments I remember so well, all it took was a glance for him to make even the biggest champions feel small.

“He was probably the best defender I ever saw live, along with Maldini. Those truly were different times.”

Roberto De Zerbi explains why Sandro Tonali can be ‘a leader’ at his new Tottenham Hotspur project, bringing Italian techniques to the Premier League, and learning from Argentina at the World Cup.

The Italian tactician is only 47 years old, but has already worked in Italy, Ukraine, France and England, taking over the Spurs job in March 2026.

He had to drag them out of the relegation zone in the final weeks of the campaign, and is now determined to start afresh in the Premier League with an expensive transfer strategy.

That includes the arrival of fellow Italian Tonali, who cost over €115m to buy from Newcastle United, and it’s reported the coach helped convince him to choose them ahead of Manchester City or Arsenal.

De Zerbi sees Tonali as Tottenham leader

“If I really did convince him, then I can only be happy about that,” De Zerbi told Sky Sport Italia during an in-depth interview.

“I told him the truth, because I always tell players what I really think. I believe he is a player who has always been a leader in every squad he played, so here with a team that is in the process of reconstruction, he can have an important role.

“I was already watching Tonali when he was playing for Brescia, my hometown club and the team I support. At the age of 18, he already looked like a veteran. I think this is something that I and Tottenham can offer him more than other clubs.

“This is my first ‘real’ season at Tottenham, the last was about survival, but this time we can start building something lasting in the most difficult league in Europe.”

Tottenham is De Zerbi’s second Premier League experience after Brighton and Hove Albion, so what are the differences Italians find moving to England?

“You do experience football in a different way in England. There are fewer training retreats, which are important opportunities to spend time together. But it’s also true that in Italy there is a lot more pressure, and we often bring it upon ourselves.

“If you spend time together as a group just to pass time, then you may as well just stay at home. If you spend that time well, creating cohesion and connection with each other, then that is fundamental.

“Just look at the Argentina squad at the World Cup, their team spirit pushed them beyond their limits. It’s not easy, but I think it can be built here too, every bit as important as the style of football.”

Tonali has seen the differences in culture up close, noting that while in Italy there are regular team dinners, he only had two per year at Newcastle for Christmas and at the end of each season.

“In Italy the players do go out together a lot, but I try to bring some of that to my teams, a few dinners together. When I was at Marseille, I organised a training retreat for that reason, so it wasn’t just football, but our lives that we were sharing,” continued De Zerbi.

“However, it depends on the group of players you have, they aren’t all the same.”

Multiple sources in Italy claim Inter have reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur for Djed Spence, signing the England international for €31.5m plus bonus, with a contract to June 2031.

The initial €30m proposal had been rejected, with claims that Spurs were holding out for €35m plus performance-related bonuses.

However, Fabrizio Romano, Sky Sport Italia, and Sportitalia are all confident the final agreement is €31.5m plus add-ons.

Sport Mediaset have it closer to €30m plus €2m in bonuses, La Gazzetta dello Sport at €31m plus €4m add-ons.

Spence all set for Inter

The Nerazzurri had already agreed personal terms with Spence, who is all set to sign a contract to June 2031.

The two clubs are now working out the final details on the bonuses and how they will be structured before he can fly out for his medical.

He was one of the best performers for England at the 2026 World Cup and shone for his versatility, able to play on the right or left flank.

He’ll reunite at San Siro with fellow England defender John Stones, who joined Inter as a free agent from Manchester City.

Inter see him as the heir to Denzel Dumfries, who completed his transfer to Real Madrid this summer, but also potentially filling in for Federico Dimarco when required too on the left.

This represents a return to Serie A for Spence, who celebrated his 26th birthday at the weekend.

He was also on loan at Genoa from Tottenham for six months in 2024, making 16 appearances for the club.

Tottenham have rejected Inter’s €30m offer for Djed Spence, with the Premier League club holding out for €35m plus bonuses to sanction the full-back’s sale.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, relaying Sky Sport, the two clubs spoke again on Wednesday morning as they look to find common ground.

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Spence has emerged as Inter’s choice to replace the departed Denzel Dumfries and, after the collapse of moves for Marco Palestra, who joined Chelsea, and Khalaili, who ran into a medical issue, is now the player closest to arriving at San Siro, with personal terms already agreed.

Marotta and Ausilio have tabled a total package of €30m, but Spurs, having initially asked for €45m, have signalled they could close at €35m plus bonuses. It is a figure Inter would rather not reach, though talks are ongoing.

Sales key to funding Inter’s Spence pursuit

Bridging that gap may hinge on outgoings. Two names are central: Luis Henrique, who has attracted interest from Roma and is valued at around €30m, and Davide Frattesi, for whom a deal is reportedly in place with Lazio on a paid loan with an obligation to buy.

Sales of that kind would give Marotta and Ausilio the funds, and the squad space, to push the Spence deal over the line.

For Cristian Chivu, resolving the right flank has become a priority, with the coach having used makeshift options there through pre-season.

Spence, an England international fresh from a strong campaign, is the man Inter believe can fill the void, provided the two clubs can agree a price.

Reports are growing rapidly in Italy and England that Djed Spence could join Inter for €30m plus add-ons from Tottenham Hotspur, a return to Serie A after his Genoa experience.

The hunt for the heir to Denzel Dumfries has been fraught with difficulty following his move to Real Madrid, as Chelsea swooped in at the last minute for Atalanta’s Marco Palestra, then Anan Khalaili failed a medical from Union Saint-Gilloise.

Spence genuinely close to Inter deal

La Gazzetta dello Sport and consequently Football Italia had already reported this morning that Inter were getting very close to an agreement with Tottenham for Spence.

The figures provided were €30m plus add-ons, and now that is being confirmed in the UK too by The Athletic.

All the sources agree that Spence is enthusiastic about the idea of joining Inter, who are coming off a Serie A and Coppa Italia Double in 2025-26, so will play in the Champions League again this term.

His versatility is also important, able to play on the right or left as a full-back or wing-back.

Spence turned 26 at the weekend and is no stranger to Serie A, because he was already at Genoa on loan from Tottenham from January to June 2024.

He was only meant to be the understudy to Stefano Sabelli, but worked his way into the first team on the left flank, eventually making 16 competitive appearances.

Genoa had an option to buy in June 2024 for €10m, and perhaps now regret not taking up that investment opportunity.

Roma’s summer transfer window is beginning to gather momentum, and the latest reports on Tuesday claim that Tottenham left-back Destiny Udogie is the latest name to appear on the Giallorossi wishlist.

Udogie appears on Roma’s wishlist

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has made it clear on several occasions this summer that he is not particularly satisfied with the incoming transfer activity at the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

The Giallorossi have brought in Santiago Castro from Bologna for €35m and Konstantinos Koulierakis from VfL Wolfsburg for around €17m this summer, but with several departures already this summer, including the likes of Zeki Celik and Artem Dovbyk, Gasperini feels that Roma still need several new players in, even just from a numerical point of view.

Nahuel Molina has recently arrived in Rome and is expected to be announced as a new Roma player in the near future.

Reports in the early stages of this week also claim that Roma are working on the final details of a deal for 19-year-old Porto talent Rodrigo Mora as well.

There had also been suggestions on Monday evening that Roma are interested in a potential deal for Inter winger Luis Henrique as well, available at a cost of around €30m.

Reports in Italy claim that Inter are closing in on an agreement with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur for the permanent transfer of England international Djed Spence.

Reports Inter closing in on Djed Spence agreement

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport and various other outlets in Italy, Inter and Tottenham moved closer to an agreement for the versatile full-back, and the Nerazzurri are reportedly expecting to close a deal for a fee in the region of €30m plus bonuses.

Inter have been on the search for a new right wing-back to replace the departed Denzel Dumfries, whose release clause was activated by Real Madrid earlier this transfer window.

They had first attempted to strike a deal with Atalanta for Italy youngster Marco Palestra prior to his joining Chelsea, and Anan Khalaili had also been close to joining before issues arose during his medical.

More recently, there have been reports that Inter had circled back to Moussa Diaby, who has also been linked with the club in previous transfer windows.

But now, reports across Italy claim that Spence has returned to the top of Inter’s wishlist and that there has been progress in talks with Tottenham.

There had been reports earlier this summer that Inter were keen on the England defender, but there were also suggestions that Tottenham would seek a fee in the region of €40m-€50m for the 26-year-old.

Tuesday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that the interest from Cristian Chivu’s side has never faded, and that they have been waiting for Tottenham to lower their asking price. Inter have also been waiting for Roberto De Zerbi to sanction the departure.

Meanwhile, there have also been reports that Inter could potentially sell right winger Luis Henrique to Roma this window for a fee in the region of €25m.

If that proves to be the case, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Nerazzurri could then look to bring in another profile at right wing-back, in addition to Spence.

If these deals do come off, it is a sign that the Nerazzurri have effectively given up on their pursuit of Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero, who instead appears close to joining Atletico Madrid.

Abandoning the Romero pursuit could also potentially open up the possibility of Benjamin Pavard staying with the squad for the 2026-27 season following his season on loan with Marseille. The Nerazzurri have been looking at moving the Frenchman on this window.

Inter’s move for Cristian Romero is under threat, with Atlético Madrid preparing to gatecrash the deal for the Tottenham defender.

According to calciomercato.it, Inter, still searching for reinforcements at the back despite the arrival of John Stones, have advanced a deal for Romero, agreeing a fee of around €40m with Tottenham as well as personal terms worth roughly €5.5m a year.

The complication is that the Nerazzurri cannot complete the move until they have offloaded Benjamin Pavard to free up space and funds.

Atlético’s Molina and Ruggeri sales fund Romero bid as Inter wait

That delay is the opening Atlético hope to exploit. Flush with the proceeds of two sales, Nahuel Molina to Roma and Matteo Ruggeri to Aston Villa, Diego Simeone’s side are preparing an initial budget of more than €30m to try to sign the Argentine.

And they may hold a decisive advantage: according to Marca, while Romero does not object to a move to Milan, he would prefer to join Simeone’s Atlético over Inter.

Tottenham, for their part, had given the green light to Inter’s proposal of €35m plus €5m in bonuses, and are unlikely to accept a lower figure from Atlético than the one already agreed with the Serie A champions.

That offers Inter a measure of protection, but with the deal stalled on Pavard’s exit and the player leaning towards Spain, the Nerazzurri’s hopes of landing the World Cup winner are no longer as secure as they once seemed.

For Cristian Chivu, who used Andy Diouf at right-back in the Perth derby as he continues to seek an heir to Denzel Dumfries, resolving the defence has become an increasingly pressing task.

Inter run the very real risk of losing Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid, as they cannot buy from Tottenham Hotspur until first selling Benjamin Pavard, Davide Frattesi or Kristjan Asllani.

The Nerazzurri won the Scudetto and Coppa Italia last season, and have set themselves the target of doing better in the Champions League this term, but reinforcements are not arriving.

They’ve been close to agreements several times only for them to fall apart, as Chelsea out-bid them for Marco Palestra, then Anan Khalaili failed his medical on a move from Union Saint-Gilloise.

Inter can’t keep Romero waiting forever

Multiple sources are confident Inter have a handshake deal with Tottenham for Romero at €40m, but cannot go through with it until first agreeing personal terms, then making sales to raise funds.

This is a huge problem, because Atletico Madrid agreed two sales today, sending Matteo Ruggeri to Aston Villa for circa €18m plus add-ons, and Nahuel Molina to Roma for €13m plus add-ons.

There is still one key benefit for Inter, as Marca report that the proposal planned from Atletico Madrid is only €30m for Romero, which probably won’t be enough to sway Spurs.

The fact remains, Inter cannot take action because they have too many players still waiting to be moved on.

Pavard returned from his loan experience at Olympique Marseille and seems reticent to accept more temporary transfers.

Asllani has not been part of the Nerazzurri’s plans for months now, but he was on loan at both Torino and Besiktas last season, failing to impress at either club.

The third spare wheel is Frattesi, whose position has been with one foot out of the door for two years at this point, yet never seems to make the extra step.

There have been suggestions in La Gazzetta dello Sport of a potential exchange with Juventus between Frattesi and Nico Gonzalez, while Nottingham Forest remain interested.