Inter Signs Spence Until 2031: A Strategic Move for the Future
Inter have made their move. After weeks of quiet work behind the scenes, the Nerazzurri have completed the permanent signing of Spence from Tottenham Hotspur, tying the 26-year-old to San Siro on a long-term deal running until June 2031.
Fresh from celebrating his birthday, the England international has committed his prime years to Inter, who see him as a cornerstone of their wing-back-driven future under Cristian Chivu. The club wrapped up the formalities after Spence passed medicals both with Inter and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), clearing the way for a major investment in their right flank.
The numbers underline how serious Inter are. Tottenham receive €31.5m up front, with a further €3.5m linked to performance-related clauses and add-ons. Spence, for his part, will earn around €2.5m per season plus bonuses, a package that reflects both his current status and his projected growth.
A return to Italy – and a system made for him
This is not Spence’s first taste of Serie A. His six-month loan at Genoa in 2024 turned heads across the league. That spell, energetic and efficient rather than flashy, convinced Inter’s hierarchy that he could handle the intensity and tactical discipline Chivu demands from his wide players.
Crucially, Spence is not just a right-sided solution. Comfortable on either flank, he offers Chivu the kind of tactical flexibility coaches crave in a long, attritional season. Inter have effectively signed two wing-backs in one: a player who can bomb on down the right or tuck in and mirror the role on the left when required.
That versatility becomes even more valuable in a squad already being reshaped. With Spence and fellow England international John Stones both arriving this summer, Inter are quietly building a spine with proven international pedigree.
World Cup platform, club payoff
Spence arrives in Milan with his reputation enhanced by the 2026 World Cup in North America. He didn’t just make the squad; he became a fixture. The defender featured in all eight of England’s matches, trusted throughout the run that ended in a semifinal defeat to Argentina.
He started that semifinal. He also started the third-place playoff, where England beat France. Those nights, under global scrutiny, hardened his profile. Inter are not buying potential alone; they are buying a player who has already stood up on one of football’s biggest stages.
End of a chapter at Spurs
For Tottenham, Spence’s departure closes a chapter that began in July 2022, when they brought him in from Middlesbrough for an initial £19m. He went on to make 85 appearances for the London club, a tally that speaks to persistence and adaptation in a demanding environment.
His exit has been eased by Spurs’ own business. The arrival of Andy Robertson on a free transfer gives Tottenham an experienced full-back presence and a natural leader on the left side of their defence. With the former Liverpool man on board, the club felt able to cash in on Spence and reconfigure their back line.
Inter’s English core grows
Spence becomes the second England international to walk through the doors at Appiano Gentile this summer, following John Stones’ free transfer from Manchester City. One arrives to marshal the back line from the centre, the other to tear up and down the flank. Both are expected to slot straight into Chivu’s plans.
Inter now turn from the transfer table to the pitch. Their Serie A campaign opens at San Siro against Monza on August 22, with a new-look defence and a World Cup-hardened wing-back ready to own the right side of the stadium he now calls home.
