Inter Milan are exploring a double swoop for Tottenham Hotspur defenders Djed Spence and Cristian Romero.
The Serie A champions first approached over Spence, before Spurs widened the discussion to include Romero, who has asked to leave. Landing both would allow Inter to reshape their flanks and defence in one window.
Spence is the primary target. Inter see the England right-back as their preferred option to replace Denzel Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid. The 25-year-old is understood to be open to the move, having to compete with Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie in north London.
The valuations, however, are a major obstacle. Corriere dello Sport reports Spence is rated at over €30m, rising towards €40m, higher than Inter had anticipated. His stock has climbed further after a strong World Cup, in which he impressed against Argentina in the semi-final.
Inter target Spurs pair Spence and Romero in double swoop
Romero’s price is steeper still, with Spurs wanting between €40m and €50m for the Argentina centre-back. Inter consider that prohibitive, noting it exceeds even Chelsea’s demands for Trevoh Chalobah, a deal they recently abandoned over cost.
The captain’s future has been in doubt for some time. Romero has told Spurs he wants to leave after four seasons, and knows Serie A well from previous spells at Genoa and Atalanta. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Inter held talks, with Barcelona also admirers.
Inter’s interest reflects their admiration for Premier League physicality. They value the pace and power that such players bring to Serie A, with Romero seen as an ideal partner for Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni.
Their spending is constrained, though. Having already banked Dumfries’ fee, Inter must sell to buy under the owners Oaktree and have missed out on other defensive targets this window. Alternatives, including Atletico Madrid’s Nahuel Molina, remain under consideration.
Tottenham, for their part, need sales of their own. De Zerbi’s side has spent beyond £200m this summer, and requires departures to fund further additions.
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