Key facts
- Atletico Madrid, managed by Diego Simeone, have held talks to sign Tottenham captain Cristian Romero; Spanish reports say personal terms are already agreed.
- Romero had been close to a roughly £35m move to Inter Milan (per the Guardian); Atletico are reportedly ready to match that bid.
- Tottenham rejected an approach from Arsenal, who wanted Romero as cover for the injured William Saliba (back issue, extended absence).
- Romero, listed as 27 (Guardian) or 28 (BBC), signed a new four-year Spurs deal in August last year but missed the end of last season with a knee injury and was sent off twice as Spurs finished 17th.
- He played all seven of Argentina’s matches in their run to the World Cup final, a loss to Spain, last month.
- Centre-back Micky van de Ven is close to signing a new five-year Tottenham deal; the club has spent over £200m on six new signings this summer.
Atletico Madrid have opened talks with Tottenham over a move for club captain Cristian Romero, with the Argentina centre-back expected to leave Spurs this summer despite signing a new four-year contract last August. The Guardian reports Tottenham have rejected an approach from Arsenal for the 27-year-old (BBC gives his age as 28), refusing to sell to a Premier League rival, let alone their north London neighbours.
How the move has developed
Romero had looked close to joining Inter Milan for a fee of around £35m, according to the Guardian, but Atletico manager Diego Simeone has long tracked the player and Atletico are described as prepared to match Inter’s offer. Spanish reports on Friday, 7 August, suggested personal terms are already agreed with Romero, though the transfer may be delayed until Atletico create squad space. The BBC reports Spurs are aware of Atletico’s interest and say reaching personal terms with the player will not be a problem.
Squad context at Atletico
Atletico’s ability to complete a deal is tied to outgoing transfers: Romero’s Argentina teammate Nahuel Molina is expected to move to Roma, while Aston Villa are hoping to sign Matteo Ruggeri from Atletico, freeing up room for Romero’s arrival.
Arsenal’s interest and why it was rejected
Arsenal had also sought Romero as a replacement for William Saliba, who faces an extended absence with a back injury. Tottenham, who have already brought in defenders Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi this summer, made clear they did not want to sell a player to a domestic rival. Arsenal are also looking at Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa as an alternative.
Romero’s recent form and fitness
Romero joined Spurs from Atalanta in August 2021, initially on loan before the deal became permanent the following summer. Last season he was sent off twice as Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, avoiding relegation only on the final day, and he missed the end of the campaign with a knee injury. He featured for Argentina in all seven of their matches during their run to the World Cup final last month, which they lost to Spain.
Van de Ven set to stay
Separately, fellow centre-back Micky van de Ven is close to agreeing a new five-year deal with Tottenham. The Guardian reports Van de Ven had considered his future at the club earlier in the summer after the narrow escape from relegation, but new manager Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival persuaded him to commit after talks with his representatives. De Zerbi has said he would “respect the will” of players wanting to leave, a comment made in the context of Romero’s situation.
Tottenham’s wider summer spending
Tottenham have spent more than £200m on six new signings this summer and remain in the market for another attacker. De Zerbi said last week the club had completed “60% of our project” in the transfer market.
Sources
Featured photo: Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)