Inter Milan may activate their £20m buy-back clause simply to flip the player to Tottenham for a profit.

Tottenham Hotspur are tracking a highly rated Serbian international, but they face competition from a Premier League rival and a Serie A side for his signature.

Some Spurs supporters have questioned whether the Rodrigo Bentancur–Joao Palhinha midfield pairing limits the team’s creativity. As a result, the club may look to strengthen in January, with a 20-year-old talent reportedly among their top options.

Recent reports claimed that Tottenham are competing with Newcastle United and Inter Milan for Aleksandar Stankovic, who has been turning heads with his displays for Club Brugge. However, Inter have a buy-back clause that becomes active next summer, which could complicate Spurs’ plans.

A report from Gazzetta dello Sport confirms both Tottenham and Newcastle’s interest, noting that Stankovic’s standout performances this season have attracted the two Premier League clubs. Inter’s buy-back clause is set at €23m (£20.3m) for summer 2026, rising to €25m (£22m) in 2027. The Nerazzurri are said to be assessing Hakan Calhanoglu’s future and view Stankovic as a possible successor.

Meanwhile, Tuttosport also highlights Spurs and Newcastle as the leading contenders for the youngster. They question whether Inter actually need Stankovic right now, suggesting he would struggle for regular minutes even if they re-signed him. Interestingly, the report adds that Inter could trigger the buy-back clause purely to sell him on for a significant profit.