Having returned, ultimately, disappointed, Spence, just like his fellow Englishmen, now needs to park that disappointment and get on with the job in hand.
All change at Tottenham
A gruelling 2026/27 campaign awaits, and the 26-year-old has a job to do.
The question is where he will be doing it, because in his absence, it's been all change at Tottenham Hotspur under Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian has freshened things up in N17, bringing in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dubravka, whilst Joao Palhinha, Randal Kolo Muani, Manor Solomon, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Alfie Devine, Alejo Veliz, Will Lankshear and Luka Vuskovic have all departed.
With question marks over Richarlison and Lucas Bergvall, there could yet be more departures, and Spence could be about to join any exodus.
Three players ahead of Spence in the pecking order
Reports would appear to indicate that because Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are set to be Tottenham's first-choice full-backs, with Robertson next in line, Spence is seeking his fortune elsewhere.
It's thought that the North Londoners would be willing to accept a fee of in the region of €30m (£25.6m) from Internazionale, and the player himself hasn't rebuffed the Nerazzurri's advances at this stage.
With Denzel Dumfries having moved from Inter to Real Madrid, Spence would slot straight into Inter's starting XI, but what would the Serie A giants be getting for their money?
Injuries notwithstanding, they can count on the player's reliability. 43 appearances made in all competitions for Tottenham during the 2025/26 campaign were just one behind Palhinha and Micky van de Ven, and two behind Pedro Porro, who finished the season with the most games played for the Lilywhites (46).
Great numbers
In terms of his defensive capabilities, for those players who made at least 50 tackles across the season, no one could match Spence's 64.91% success rate, the full-back winning 37 of the 57 tackles he attempted.
Porro was the one Spurs player to top the 16 crosses blocked by Spence, whilst the latter's winning back of possession on 150 occasions was also a fine return when compared to his teammates' efforts.
Contesting 365 ground one-on-ones showed a willingness to be involved in every facet of the game, with only Richarlison and Palhinha (413 and 406, respectively) contesting more over the course of the season.
One of just nine players to attempt over 1,000 passes during 25/26, Spence's completion rate of 81.59% was also top-tier, though he'll certainly need to work on his attacking prowess if he does end up at San Siro.
Improvement needed on the attacking side
Though goals haven't necessarily been his forte, Inter like their full-backs to get up and down the pitch and supplement the attack, which is something Spence did with aplomb for England, but which was completely missing from his club performances last season.
No goals, no fast breaks, no chances created and just 16 attempts at goal don't speak of the marauding style that Inter will seek.
With a point to prove, however, the player should at least have the bit between his teeth again, as he seeks to make his mark in Italy.
If nothing else, Spence's effort and exuberance are an example for many to follow, and that is a great baseline from which to work.
Time to get a deal over the line
Having a certain set of skills is all well and good, but if you've not got the right attitude and application, you'll quickly be found out.
Cristian Chivu can work on the elements of Spence's natural game that need to be improved, set alongside the player's passion for learning and the ability to give everything in each training session and game.
With only a week and a half to go until the start of both Serie A and the Premier League, however, it's in everyone's interests to get a transfer ironed out quickly.
Spence will also hope that the move works in his favour to the extent that his England credentials will be enhanced, and he gets to remain as a full part of the international set-up under Tuchel as a result.