Inter Milan are weighing up a move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence after their pursuit of Anan Khalaili ended in dramatic failure.
The Italian giants had been on the verge of completing a £25.6m signing of the Union Saint-Gilloise winger before the deal fell apart at the final stage.
Khalaili passed his initial tests at the San Siro but was ultimately denied clearance by Italy’s Olympic Committee, known as CONI, due to concerns flagged during stringent stress testing.
Inter President Beppe Marotta moved quickly to address the situation publicly, confirming that the club had no power to override the medical authorities.
“We had negotiated the purchase of Khalaili, but he failed the medical tests, the CONI just informed us and I wanted to let you all know,” said Marotta.
“In Italy there are very strict rules on medical tests, so it is not a choice made by the club, we simply have to accept it, because this is about looking after the health of the player.”
Marotta also confirmed Inter will now be forced to pursue an alternative target following the collapse of their original plan.
“When the CONI don’t give the certificate, he is not allowed to participate in any official sporting event in Italy,” he said. “It’s sad, because we had carried on the negotiations with great effort, but now unfortunately we will have to think about an alternative.”
The need to replace Denzel Dumfries, who departed for Real Madrid last month, has left Inter in urgent need of reinforcement on the right side of their defence.
According to Sky in Italy, Spence is now among the options being considered by the Serie A club as they search for alternatives.
Spence, 25, has prior experience of Italian football having previously featured in Serie A during a loan spell with Genoa, which could make a transition easier to manage.
The England international has been a prominent figure at the World Cup this summer, raising his profile considerably and attracting attention from across Europe.
His long-term future at Spurs is far from guaranteed, with Destiny Udogie returning from injury to reclaim his place on the left and Andy Robertson arriving from Liverpool this summer.
On the opposite flank, Roberto De Zerbi also has Pedro Porro available, meaning opportunities for Spence could be limited in north London next season.
Spence signed fresh terms with Tottenham last August, meaning any interested club should expect the Lilywhites to demand a significant fee before sanctioning his departure.
Marotta acknowledged the financial pressures facing Italian clubs, noting that “some of the fees going around are crazy, which make Italian football a mere spectator compared to the role we had in the past.”
Inter had also missed out on Marco Palestra from Atalanta, with Chelsea winning that particular transfer battle and further complicating the Italian side’s summer recruitment plans.
Whether Inter’s valuation of Spence aligns with what Tottenham expect to receive will ultimately determine whether a deal can be reached before the window closes.
