Atletico Madrid are planning to make a concrete move for Tottenham star.
Tottenham Hotspur flirted dangerously with relegation before eventually surviving by the skin of their teeth on the final day of last season. Roberto De Zerbi, after taking the reins in March, worked his magic and guided the North London club to safety. But he had to do it without his skipper, Cristian Romero.
Cristian Romero missed the relegation run-in with a knee injury he had sustained in the defeat at Sunderland. The Argentine defender’s campaign was disrupted by disciplinary issues, injuries and inconsistent performances, and he found himself in hot waters after initially deciding to miss Tottenham’s crucial final Premier League game of the season.
While the 28-year-old did return in time from his homeland to watch the match against Everton, it did little to dispel the speculation surrounding his future. The central defender’s long-term future appeared secure last August when he signed a contract extension until 2029. Yet, Romero continues to be heavily linked with a move to Spain.
Atletico Madrid preparing an offer for Cristian Romero
Reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that Romero wants to try a new chapter away from England. Atletico Madrid have a long-standing interest in the Tottenham skipper.
The 28-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid last summer, but he ended up staying at Spurs and committing his future to N17. In the process of doing so, he also took over the captain’s armband. But as his relationship has been strained with the Tottenham board, the defender’s exit this summer remains inevitable.
According to a report from Fichajes, Atletico Madrid are preparing an offer worth €30m to sign Romero. Diego Simeone has advocated for the Tottenham star’s signing, considering the gruelling upcoming campaign.
Tottenham chiefs did everything to hold onto Romero last summer after winning the Europa League, rejecting two offers from Atletico Madrid. The scenario has changed now. They are open to the Cordoba-born star’s departure and are demanding £70m-£80m for him. Regardless of how his World Cup pans out, it looks improbable that Atletico will bid as high as £70m. Los Rojiblancos’ opening proposal is expected to be in the region of €30m, which gives an idea about their approach.
With no European football in N17 next term, Romero remains eager to join a club that matches his ambition of competing at the highest level and winning trophies. Joining Diego Simeone’s forces at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium remains an appealing prospect, and the 2022 World Cup winner could become their defensive lynchpin next season.
The report adds that Atletico must offload players like Jose Maria Gimenez and Clement Lenglet to free up space and funds required for the signing of Romero. If all the factors click, the La Liga side will make a formal proposal to try and close out a deal for the South American defensive wall.
Having brought in central defenders Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi earlier this month, Spurs have prepared themselves for the departure for possible departure of Romero. However, there is no way we will sell arguably our best defender for €30m if that’s what Atletico tables as their opening offer.
