Djed Spence steps onto the grass at last. Almost a month after signing for Inter from Tottenham Hotspur, the England international has finally joined his new teammates in full outdoor training – but his wait for a San Siro debut looks set to continue.
First steps in Nerazzurri colours
Club photographers captured Spence working on the pitch on Thursday, images that Italian outlets quickly confirmed marked his first proper session “out on the grass” since arriving for €35m in the summer.
For Inter fans, it was the first real glimpse of their new full-back in motion rather than in presentation shots or gym clips. Boots on, bib on, part of the group. A small step, but an important one.
This is Spence’s first outdoor session with Inter since he completed his move from Tottenham, a delay rooted not in tactical caution but in the calendar and his body.
The 26-year-old received an extended break after England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, a deep tournament journey that pushed his summer far beyond the usual schedule. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he then returned with a minor physical issue that ruled him out of the final stretch of pre-season.
That combination has kept him on the sidelines while the season has already begun to gather pace.
Patience, not panic
His absence from the early matchday squads has raised eyebrows, especially when set against the smooth integration of another England World Cup squad member, John Stones. Stones has already appeared three times since his own move to San Siro earlier in the summer, underlining just how different each player’s physical and recovery profile can be.
Spence, by contrast, has been forced to watch from the bench and the stands, including Inter’s Serie A outing against Monza at San Siro on August 22, where he was photographed in full kit before kick-off, waiting for a chance that never came.
He now has three days of work ahead before Inter’s next league fixture, Monday night at home to Udinese. On paper, that might look like a potential launchpad. On the training ground, the message is more measured.
SportMediaset reports that Inter’s hierarchy see no need to accelerate his return. The club have invested heavily and want the player fully tuned, not merely available.
The pressure of the calendar is real, but the mood around Spence is controlled rather than urgent.
Parma date circled
Inside the club, a more realistic target has emerged. According to SportMediaset, Inter have pencilled in their first match after the international break – at home to Parma on October 10 – as the likely stage for Spence’s debut.
It is not a guarantee, but it is a plan: another couple of weeks to build rhythm, sharpen his conditioning, and integrate into Simone Inzaghi’s system before stepping into the noise of San Siro with something more than hope in his legs.
For now, the story is simple. The big summer signing is finally on the grass. The shirt is ready. The stadium is waiting. And Inter are determined that when Djed Spence does take that first competitive stride in Nerazzurri colours, he will be ready to stay there.
