Inter Milan Near Deal for Djed Spence as Spurs Reshape Squad
Inter Milan are closing on a deal for Djed Spence as Tottenham’s summer rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi gathers pace on and off the pitch.
Sky Sports report that Spurs have agreed a £30 million fee with Inter for the defender, with a 10 per cent sell-on clause included in the package. Spence has been given permission to complete his medical in Italy while the final details are ironed out.
The 26-year-old, who made 44 appearances for Tottenham last season and impressed for England at the World Cup, is set to sign a five-year deal at San Siro as Inter’s replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid. ESPN add that Spence has already landed in Milan ahead of the move.
Spence has featured 85 times for Spurs since arriving from Middlesbrough in 2022, but his path is now blocked. Pedro Porro has nailed down the right-back slot, while new signing Andy Robertson will battle Destiny Udogie on the left. For Tottenham, this is the moment to cash in. For Spence, it is a reset in Serie A.
De Zerbi’s demands: pride or the exit
The transfer fits neatly with De Zerbi’s blunt stance on the squad. The Italian has been clear since walking through the door: anyone not fully committed can go.
"I was very clear at the start of my time in Tottenham. I said 'Who doesn't want to stay in Tottenham, who is not happy, is not proud to stay here, has to leave'," De Zerbi said on the club’s pre-season tour.
"I want proud players who are happy to stay here and to go on the pitch at Tottenham Stadium with a big motivation. If you think also in the World Cup, the motivation makes the difference. The motivation is to be happy to stay in one team."
That ruthlessness extends to the market.
"I think the top clubs now, they are not worried about selling players. No. Even Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, when they have to sell, they have to sell. Right price, you don't have to be shy. But when you have to spend money, you have to do that. Strong, fast, quickly, the right player, the right investment."
Cristian Romero is also expected to depart for Atletico Madrid, with both defenders leaving for what are described as relatively low fees. The churn is significant, but it is exactly the kind of reset De Zerbi has been hinting at.
De Zerbi’s long game at Spurs
The Italian has set the bar high. Survival last season has not softened his ambition; if anything, it has sharpened it.
Roberto De Zerbi has stressed that he wants Tottenham competing near the top of the Premier League and sees himself staying for “many years”. The club have responded with an aggressive window, bringing in an influx of new players, but the head coach is not dressing anything up.
"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," he told Sky Italia.
"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."
The message is stark: recruitment is only the start. Identity, intensity and mentality will decide whether Spurs stay in the pack or break back into the elite.
Savinho saga: player wants Spurs, City hold the line
On the incoming front, the spotlight has swung firmly onto Savinho.
Tottenham have been heavily linked with the Manchester City winger all summer. Brazilian outlet Globo claim Spurs have now gone in with an £85 million offer for the 22-year-old, a figure reported to match City’s asking price from the start of negotiations. Savinho did not train on Thursday as the clubs continue to talk.
Fabrizio Romano, though, insists there is still no agreement between the sides. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said:
"Savinho wants to go to Tottenham. Savinho has an agreement with Tottenham on personal terms. Savinho is waiting and hoping Manchester City and Tottenham reach an agreement.”
He added: "We also have to respect Man City, and Man City as of today are still not giving the green light for a Savinho transfer. At the moment, Manchester City are not accepting Tottenham’s bid. The negotiations continue, talks continue, but Savinho has a clear desire: He wants to be a Tottenham player."
football.london understand that Tottenham are indeed keen on Savinho, whose contract with City runs until 2031, and have already held talks over a fee. Earlier suggestions put his price tag closer to £60m, but the numbers have clearly climbed as the chase has intensified.
Osimhen and the attacking overhaul
Savinho is not the only forward on the radar. One eye-catching name in the frame is Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, formerly of Napoli, with Spurs linked to a move as De Zerbi seeks to remodel his attack. Several other attacking targets are also being monitored as the club look to build a frontline capable of matching the manager’s demanding style.
Spurs have already “heavily backed” De Zerbi after he steered them to Premier League safety, but inside the club there is an acceptance that the job is far from complete as the new season looms. The dream XI pieces are still being shuffled, the deals still being pushed.
Spence’s departure, Romero’s likely exit, the Savinho pursuit, the Osimhen links – all of it points in one direction: a squad being stripped back and rebuilt to the image of a coach who has made his conditions crystal clear.
The question now is whether Tottenham’s bold bets in this window will be enough to turn De Zerbi’s vision into a team that can live where he insists they belong – at the very top of the table.
