Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement in principle with Tottenham to acquire central defender Cristian Romero in a transfer deal valued at approximately £34.2m with additional performance-based payments. The agreement includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause for the English club.
Romero, an Argentina international, has been a target for Atletico Madrid over an extended period. The 28-year-old defender was expected to depart Tottenham this summer should an appropriate offer materialize. Beyond Atletico, other clubs including Inter Milan and Arsenal had expressed interest in acquiring the player. Romero’s contract with Tottenham was scheduled to expire in the summer of 2029.
During the previous season, Romero received two red cards in Premier League matches while Tottenham fought to avoid relegation. A knee injury caused him to miss the latter portion of the campaign. The player faced criticism from supporters regarding his availability for Tottenham’s final match against Everton, though he ultimately attended that fixture as Spurs secured survival. Over five seasons with the club, Romero made 124 appearances and scored 12 goals in the Premier League while receiving four red cards.
Tottenham had prepared the groundwork for Romero’s departure by acquiring defenders Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi earlier in the transfer window. The fee represents a financial loss for Spurs, who paid approximately £42m to acquire Romero from Atalanta in the summer of 2021. Notably, Tottenham received a larger transfer fee for teenage defender Luka Vuskovic, who moved to Brighton for a club-record £50m deal earlier this summer.
Arsenal had explored the possibility of signing Romero to strengthen their defensive options, though discussions never progressed beyond initial interest. Tottenham resisted allowing their captain to join a Premier League competitor, particularly their north London rivals. The last transfer between Tottenham and Arsenal occurred 49 years prior when goalkeeper Pat Jennings joined the latter club in a reported £45,000 transaction.
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