Djed Spence has been a key player for England at the World Cup and could be on the move this summer after capturing the interest of a European giant
Tottenham may have to brace themselves for a bid for defender Djed Spence, as Inter Milan considers a move for the England star. The Italian side are weighing up their options to replace Denzel Dumfries, who departed for Real Madrid last month.
Inter have been forced to reassess their options following the collapse of Anan Khalaili’s proposed move to the San Siro. Spence has come under scrutiny after Khalaili was denied medical clearance over his move by Italian authorities after being set to complete a £25.6m switch from Union Saint-Gilloise.
Despite passing his initial tests at the San Siro, the winger was unable to clear the Italian Olympic Committee’s stringent stress tests after concerns were flagged. Inter President Beppe Marotta confirmed the club had no say in the matter.
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“We had negotiated the purchase of Khalaili, but he failed the medical tests, the CONI just informed us and I wanted to let you all know,” said Marotta. “In Italy there are very strict rules on medical tests, so it is not a choice made by the club, we simply have to accept it, because this is about looking after the health of the player.
“When the CONI don’t give the certificate, he is not allowed to participate in any official sporting event in Italy. It’s sad, because we had carried on the negotiations with great effort, but now unfortunately we will have to think about an alternative.”
According to Sky in Italy, Spence is one of the options Inter are now considering. The 25-year-old, who has previously featured in Serie A during a loan spell with Genoa, could find himself with a decision to make when he returns from the World Cup.
After a difficult start to his life at Spurs, seeing loans to Rennes and Leeds in addition to Genoa, Spence forged his place in the team, while the Lilywhites have struggled in recent seasons. A space in Roberto De Zerbi’s team is far from assured next season, however.
Destiny Udogie’s return from injury could see him reestablished as the first choice on the left side of defence, while Spurs have made the summer acquisition of Andy Robertson from Liverpool. On the opposite side, De Zerbi has Pedro Porro at his disposal, suggesting game time might be limited next campaign.
The prospect of switching clubs to take over from Dumfries might prove attractive should Inter decide to pursue a deal. Spence penned fresh terms with Spurs last August, indicating he may not be available on the cheap despite the challenging beginning he experienced in north London.
The valuation that Spence commands will prove crucial to Inter’s appetite for completing a transfer.
Inter had hoped to secure Marco Palestra from Atalanta before losing out to Chelsea in that pursuit. Marotta admitted that it proves challenging for Italian clubs to remain competitive in the transfer window.
“Dumfries preferred to conclude his career at a prestigious club like Real Madrid, so we had to find a substitute,” he said. “Some of the fees going around are crazy, which make Italian football a mere spectator compared to the role we had in the past.”
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