Spurs to pay back part of fee they received for two players due to Djed Spence clause

Tottenham Hotspur will effectively have to pay back a small part of the fee they received for two other players due to Djed Spence's transfer to Inter Milan.

Spence joined Inter on Saturday for a fee of around €30 million, ending what had become a protracted transfer saga.

The England full-back announced his exit minutes before Spurs' 3-0 friendly win over Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon, writing on Instagram: "A special chapter comes to an end. It's been some journey, with plenty of memories, moments and experiences that I'll carry with me for forever, especially that night in Bilbao.

"Thanks to all the staff members who've helped me along the way, the players who've become family & most importantly thank you to the fans. Time for a new chapter now, but Spurs will always have a place in my heart. COYS."

Spence's departure means Spurs will once again have to do business with a club they have seen a lot of throughout the summer transfer window.

Why Spurs will 'pay back' small part of their transfer profit

The 26-year-old moved to north London in 2022 from Championship side Middlesbrough, with Spurs paying a fee in the region of £19 million.

Boro inserted a sell-on clause into the deal which is worth 15 per cent, though it is unclear whether that relates to a percentage of Spence's sale to Inter - which would be approximately £3.8 million - or simply on the percentage of profit, which would equal around £1 million instead.

Spurs have already done business with Kim Hellberg's side twice this summer, selling striker Will Lankshear for £8 million plus add-ons and centre-back Ashley Phillips for £7 million plus add-ons.

The combined value of the two deals could equal £40 million if all add-ons are achieved, with Spurs holding sell-on clauses in both cases.

With Boro announcing the arrival of Phillips on Saturday afternoon - just before Spence's deal was confirmed - the Championship club have effectively got a small discount on the 21-year-old's signing through their now former player.

Spurs already paid out £2 million to Boro for Spence prior to the World Cup, with Teeside Live reporting that they were entitled to a fee once the full-back started two competitive England matches.

READ MORE: Djed Spence's World Cup feat costs Spurs seven figures as secret clause revealed

Middlesbrough have had an incredibly profitable summer, first from the £16.5 million sale of star midfielder Hayden Hackney to Everton and then a payment of at least £20 million from Morgan Rogers' £117m transfer from Aston Villa to Chelsea.

That money has enabled them to spend big on signings this summer, with other Championship clubs in general having to bide their time to get players in due to the World Cup.

Transfers have been starting to take place regularly over the past week, but it has been a tricky time for those clubs attempting to secure Premier League loans - given that many young players have been needed during pre-season as a result of mandatory post-World Cup breaks for top stars.