Tottenham Hotspur look set to sanction the departure of Djed Spence, with Inter Milan closing in on a deal worth approximately €30m (£25.6m) for the England international. The Serie A champions have entered advanced talks with Spurs over the transfer, and personal terms are reportedly not expected to present any obstacle to completing the switch.
Spence, 26, has seen his opportunities at Tottenham diminish following the summer arrival of Andy Robertson from Liverpool. The full-back had earned a degree of prominence on the international stage, starting four matches for England during the World Cup, including the semi-final defeat to Argentina. Despite that exposure, his club prospects have narrowed considerably, particularly with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro established as Tottenham's first-choice options in the full-back positions this season.
Notably, Spence penned a new four-year contract with Spurs at the beginning of last season, yet his desire to join the Italian giants is understood to be strong. For Inter, the move represents an effort to fill the void left by Denzel Dumfries, who departed for Real Madrid earlier this summer. Should the transfer be finalised, Tottenham would recoup a fee only marginally higher than the £20m they paid Middlesbrough to acquire Spence back in 2022.
Inter's business with Tottenham has not been limited to Spence. The clubs also discussed a possible move for centre-back Cristian Romero, though the Argentine appears destined for a different Spanish destination. Atlético Madrid are believed to be closing in on Romero for a fee in the region of €40m, fending off competition that reportedly included Premier League champions Arsenal.
Tottenham's summer spending has been substantial, with the north London club investing close to £240m on new recruits, headlined by the club-record £92.5m signing of Sandro Tonali. Amid this flurry of transfer activity, Spurs also moved to secure the long-term future of Mickey van de Ven, confirming the Dutch defender has agreed a new five-year contract.
Van de Ven expressed enthusiasm about the club's trajectory following the announcement. "It's clear the direction the club wants to go in and I want to be a part of it. I'm excited about what's to come," he said.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Crystal Palace are progressing talks to re-sign forward Evann Guessand on a season-long loan from Aston Villa. Guessand, who represents Côte d'Ivoire internationally, spent the second half of last season at Selhurst Park and played a role in Palace's Conference League triumph in May. The south London club had initially opted against exercising an option to sign him permanently earlier in the transfer window, but a temporary return now looks likely.
Palace are also expected to strengthen their squad further with two additional signings. Anan Khalaili is set to join from Union Saint-Gilloise in a deal worth £21m, while Xavier Gozo is poised to arrive from Real Salt Lake for a fee of £11m, as Oliver Glasner's side continues to build depth following last season's cup success.
With deadline day activity intensifying across the division, both Tottenham and Crystal Palace appear determined to finalise their squad reshuffles before the transfer window closes, each club balancing departures with fresh incoming talent.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.