England defender Djed Spence joins Inter Milan from Tottenham on contract to 2031

Transfer completed

Inter Milan announced the permanent signing of Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, 15 August 2026, with a contract running until 30 June 2031. The 26-year-old right-back, born in 2000, joins the reigning Italian champions as a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who moved to Real Madrid earlier in the offseason. Tottenham posted confirmation of the departure on their website, noting Spence made 85 appearances and scored twice during his four years at the club.

The reported fee varies by source. Transfermarkt and France 24 cite €30 million ($35 million), while AP and Reuters report £30 million ($40.5 million). SAPO puts the figure near €35 million. The New York Times places it "in the region of €30 million (around £25.6m; $34.6m)." Tottenham reportedly inserted a 10 percent sell-on clause, per AP.

World Cup profile

Spence was part of Thomas Tuchel's England squad at the 2026 World Cup, making eight appearances including England's victory in the third-place playoff. He was among England's best performers in the semi-final defeat to Argentina, where a tackle on Giuliano Simeone in the 2-1 loss became one of the tournament's standout moments for England fans. The New York Times described the summer as belonging to Spence, noting he became a household name across June and July with "game-changing cameos from the bench and a reserved charisma in interviews."

Career path and Spurs context

Spence began his career at Fulham and joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in July 2022. France 24 reports Spurs paid €14 million for him; a Romanian source cites £20 million. Limited first-team opportunities saw him loaned to Stade Rennais, Leeds United and Genoa, where he spent six months between January and June 2024. Genoa declined to take up an £8.5 million permanent option that summer. Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou later recalled him amid an injury crisis in late 2024, and Spence became one of Spurs' most effective defenders as the club narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.

At Tottenham, however, Pedro Porro, who started all six games as Spain won the 2026 World Cup, blocked Spence's path at right-back. Current Spurs coach Roberto De Zerbi prefers Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro as his starting full-backs. Spence told the BBC during the World Cup that he "prefers" right-back because it is his "natural" position, while telling The Guardian he is still learning to play left-back.

Inter project under Chivu

Inter coach Cristian Chivu, whose contract was renewed until 2028, selected Spence as his preferred replacement for Dumfries. Chivu led Inter to a domestic double in the 2025/26 season, winning the club's 21st Scudetto and 10th Coppa Italia, and was named Serie A Coach of the Season. He has managed 58 matches since being appointed on 9 June 2025.

Spence expressed enthusiasm about the move. In comments reported by SAPO, he described the transfer as a significant step.

This is a huge club and it's a big step for me and my family. I'm very excited to be here and I'm ready to start. My defensive ability is my biggest strength, along with my ball-carrying ability. I'd like to improve my game in terms of goals and assists. If I can do that, I'll be in a very, very good situation.

Spence is the second England international to join Inter in two weeks. John Stones left Manchester City after 10 seasons to sign a two-year contract at the end of July. The pair are expected to form Inter's defence alongside Italy internationals Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco.