Djed Spence's Inter Debut Delayed After Training Session

Almost a month after swapping Tottenham Hotspur for Inter, Djed Spence has finally stepped onto the training pitch in Nerazzurri colours. The wait for his first appearance at San Siro, though, looks set to continue.

Club photographers captured the England international working with the group on Thursday, with Italian outlets confirming it was his first full session “out on the grass” since completing his €35m summer move.

For Inter fans wondering why such a significant signing has yet to be seen in action, the picture is becoming clearer.

World Cup hangover and a delayed start

Spence, 26, was granted an extended break following his run to the World Cup semi-finals with England. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he did not return in perfect condition, carrying a minor physical issue that ruled him out of the final stages of pre-season.

That setback has kept him sidelined while another member of England’s World Cup squad, John Stones, has already pulled on the Inter shirt three times since his own move earlier in the summer. Spence, by contrast, has had to watch and wait.

He was at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, suited up but unused, before the Serie A clash with AC Monza. The cameras caught him taking in the atmosphere. The debut never came.

Inter choose patience over risk

There are still three days until Inter’s next league fixture, at home to Udinese on Monday night. On paper, that gives Spence a small window to prove he is ready. Behind the scenes, the message is different.

SportMediaset reports that Inter’s hierarchy feel no need to accelerate his return. The club see him as a long-term asset, not a short-term gamble, and are prepared to hold him back until he is fully up to speed.

The date quietly circled in the calendar is October 10, when Inter host Parma in their first match after the international break. That, according to the same report, is the game earmarked for Spence’s Nerazzurri debut.

For now, he runs, stretches and sharpens his touch on the training pitch, waiting for the night when the San Siro roar is finally for him.