Inter’s summer has left Djed Spence waiting at the edge of the season rather than inside it. The Englishman arrived in Milan around Ferragosto with a clear intention: to restart in Serie A and compete for a place that had become harder to find at Tottenham. His first appearance is now expected against Parma in mid-October, after an individual recovery programme that is nearing its end.
The decision
Inter agreed a deal worth €30 million plus €5 million in bonuses to bring Spence from Tottenham, making him, alongside Curtis Jones, the club’s most expensive purchase of the summer. It was an investment in a player the club had pursued for much of the window, but also in his own desire to move.
At 26, Spence did not want to accept a reduced role in north London. Pedro Porro’s contract renewal narrowed his path towards regular starts, while Inter could offer both a prominent place in a new project and Champions League football. The prospect of European nights mattered to a player who had grown in stature at Tottenham but felt his opportunities would no longer match his ambitions.
His return to Italy also carries unfinished business. Spence spent six months on loan at Genoa at the start of 2024, before going back to Tottenham. Genoa’s financial constraints, rather than a lack of interest in keeping him, shaped that departure. This time, he has arrived with a permanent role in mind.
When he left London for Milan in August, Spence spoke of a new stage in his career and promised Inter they would receive the same player they already knew: a fast, direct wide player willing to take opponents on, but also prepared to track back. His recovery run on Giovanni Simeone in Argentina’s World Cup semi-final remains a reminder that his pace can serve the defensive side as well as the attack.
That willingness to recover could be valuable to Cristian Chivu. Inter have conceded eight goals in their opening five league matches, while the demands on the wide areas will grow as the calendar tightens. Spence’s arrival should also offer relief for Andy Diouf, who has had little chance to rest.
Versatility is another part of the plan. Spence is principally being brought in for the right flank, effectively taking over the ground previously occupied by Denzel Dumfries, but he can operate on the left as well. That gives Chivu the possibility of reshaping his wide options around Federico Dimarco, rather than treating each side as a fixed department.
For now, however, Spence remains the one English Inter player Serie A has not yet seen. A physical condition affected by a demanding World Cup kept him out of the first five league fixtures and Inter’s Champions League opener. He has been continuing his rehabilitation alone at Appiano Gentile, alongside injured team-mates Hakan Calhanoglu and John Stones.
From next Monday, when training resumes for the players remaining in Milan, Spence is expected to join group work. The final phase of his reconditioning is being treated as a direct route towards San Siro, with the target set roughly 18 days away.
Sunday’s picture
Parma in mid-October is expected to mark Spence’s first competitive involvement in Inter’s campaign. Until now, he has watched San Siro from the stands, including through oversized glasses reflecting the Inter badge. The next step is more substantial: not simply returning to a familiar league, but becoming available to a side that bought him to change the rhythm and depth of its season.
