Tottenham Hotspur were initially hoping to get a much bigger fee for Djed Spence than they are now expected to receive from Inter Milan as the full-back nears a switch to the San Siro.
According to reports from Italy, Inter are close to striking a deal with Tottenham for Spence, having expressed their interest in the player at the start of the summer.
It has been suggested that the Serie A club are hoping to complete a deal worth €30m (£25.6m) plus bonuses for the full-back before the start of the season, and that the player is waiting for Spurs’ green light to fly to Milan.
Many Tottenham fans believe that the club should demand a much higher fee for Spence, and a new update has explained why the Lilywhites have not been able to sell the 25-year-old at a premium.
Tottenham offered Djed Spence to Premier League clubs for £45m
TEAMtalk have now claimed that Spence has decided to prioritise a move to Inter, which is why the two clubs have accelerated talks, with a deal now being on the cusp of being finalised.
Interestingly, it is explained that Spurs and Spence reached an understanding before the World Cup to part ways, with Roberto De Zerbi believing that a transfer would be the best outcome for all parties.
Even though the full-back enhanced his reputation at the World Cup, his and Tottenham’s stance remained unchanged.
Spurs offered the defender to several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Everton.
However, all of them found the Lilywhites’ initial asking price of around £45m to be too high, which is why a deal did not materialise.
Inter had been interested in the former Middlesbrough man from the outset, having identified him as their top choice to replace Denzel Dumfries.
Inter will pay a modest fee for Spence
TEAMtalk backs up what other sources have reported over the last 24 hours, stating that €30m (£25.6m) is the maximum the Nerazzurri are prepared to pay for the Tottenham man.
The outlet says that a deal for that figure ‘has now been agreed’ with Spurs, with Inter preparing a substantial contract for Spence as they move to complete a transfer.
The website adds that Spence’s preference to move to the San Siro played a ‘major role’ in the acceleration of the deal, with a move to Milan said to be extremely appealing to the defender.