Atalanta stand firm in their valuation for Tottenham target Cristian Romero

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Express), Tottenham Hotspur must increase their bid for Cristian Romero. It adds that the club have identified Romero as the top defensive target. Their first bid of £34.2m plus a further £8.5m was rejected by Atalanta. The Italian side are taking the option of permanently signing Romero from Juventus before selling him for a ‘hefty’ profit.

Tottenham’s agreement with Cristian Romero

Atalanta signed Cristian Romero on loan in 2020. The player very soon established himself in his new club. He was a part of Atalanta’s 20/21 team which reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16. His league form was formidable. He was termed as the Defender of the Year by Serie A (2020/2021).

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported about Tottenham’s interest in Cristian Romero. He added that the North London club have an agreement on personal terms with Romero, suggesting that a deal until 2026 has been agreed upon between the two. However, he adds that the clubs are yet to reach an agreement.

Earlier, Atalanta CEO Percassi expressed his stance on the saga. The interest from Spurs was confirmed. However, he added that they view Romero as one of the best centre-backs and won’t budge until the right bid arrives.

Tottenham’s defence revamp

According to football.london, managing director Fabio Paratici has been planning on revamping the defence. Earlier, Toby Alderweireld was pictured in Qatar ahead of a potential move to join Al-Duhail.

Talksport has speculated Eric Dier and Matt Doherty to move on too. (h/t Football.london)

Given the situation, signing someone like Romero would be a great move for Tottenham. It now remains to be seen if the club are ready to return with an improved offer for the Argentine international.