Inter Milan have decided to pursue Cristian Romero and walk away from Djed Spence after holding talks with Tottenham Hotspur regarding both players, according to SportsMediaset journalist Orazio Accomando.
Accomando reported on X that Inter have made fresh contact with Romero’s camp and that the Spurs captain is now the ‘favourite’ to fill the central defensive vacancy at the reigning Serie A champions this summer. That represents a significant development for a player who has spent the last year with his future at N17 increasingly in doubt.
The background here, as covered previously, is that Inter initially approached Spurs about Spence and were offered Romero as part of the conversation. What started as an exploratory enquiry has now resolved into a clear preference – the Nerazzurri want the centre-back, not the full-back.
Inter baulk at Spurs’ £40m valuation of Spence
The sticking point on Spence is straightforward: Tottenham are asking for more than £40m – approximately €47m – and Inter consider that figure excessively high. Accomando confirmed the club have decided, for now, not to proceed and are continuing to evaluate other profiles at right wing-back.
That is a notable outcome given Inter were understood to have been the main club driving interest in Spence only days ago. A £40m valuation for a player who has spent the bulk of three years on loan will raise eyebrows, and if Tottenham hold firm, they may find the market considerably thinner than they’d like.
Romero’s exit would be the window’s defining departure
Spence leaving would be a tidy piece of housekeeping. Romero leaving is a different conversation entirely. He is the captain, one of the few genuinely elite defenders in the squad, and his World Cup performances for Argentina have only sharpened European interest this summer. Losing him without a ready-made replacement would leave a hole that pleasantries about squad depth will not fill.
Spurs have now confirmed £113.1m in summer sales, so the financial pressure to move bodies is real – but the club will need to handle Romero’s exit carefully if Inter’s interest hardens into a formal bid.
