Atletico eye Tottenham player Romero transfer hijack
Atletico Madrid are exploring a Tottenham player Romero transfer hijack as Inter Milan push to sign Cristian Romero. Spurs want around €50million, while Inter have tabled roughly €40million. A club-to-club path has advanced, but Romero’s wage demands remain the sticking point—and Atleti are checking whether they can meet both sides’ asking prices.
Key Takeaways
- Inter Milan are in talks with Tottenham over captain Cristian Romero and have advanced a roughly €40million package.
- Tottenham want about €50million (£42.8m) for the Argentina centre-back, per reports relayed by Football365.
- Atletico Madrid have rekindled interest and are exploring the figures while Inter’s finances look complicated.
- Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi says he will respect Romero’s wish to leave after the World Cup.
- Player terms remain unresolved, with wage expectations cited as the biggest obstacle.
The Tottenham player Romero transfer story accelerated after Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio confirmed the club’s interest to Sky Italy. “It’s definitely a deal we are trying to sign with the player and the club,” he said, according to The Guardian.
Romero, Spurs’ captain, has made 156 appearances since joining in 2021 and helped guide the club to Europa League success. He also helped Argentina reach a second straight World Cup final this month.
With Jan Paul van Hecke signed for £52m from Brighton and Marcos Senesi arriving as a free agent, Tottenham appear ready to let their centre-back depart. For more unfolding sagas and unexplained twists, see BlasterPost’s True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries hub.
What is Atletico Madrid doing in the Romero chase?
According to Football365, Atletico Madrid are back on Romero’s trail amid Inter’s push. The Spanish club are exploring the conditions of a deal, though finances make any move complicated.
Romero has also been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona. Inter are described as pushing hardest, holding club-to-club talks with Spurs and, separately, talks with the player’s agents.
That financial friction is exactly what could open a window for Atleti. Whether they will pay what Tottenham and Romero want is still unclear.
How far have Inter and Tottenham got?
TEAMtalk, cited by Football365, say Tottenham want around €50million (£42.8m). Inter opened negotiations with a €40million (£34.2m) bid structured as a loan with an option to buy.
Get Italian Football News, citing La Gazzetta dello Sport, later reported the clubs had agreed a €40million deal—but still lacked agreement with the player. Inter have also signed John Stones on a free transfer and have not abandoned the Romero pursuit.
GIFN add that a Romero move would progress only if Alessandro Bastoni leaves, with Inter valuing Bastoni at €60million. Negotiations with Spurs are still said to be progressing, with optimism a price compromise can be found.
Why is the Tottenham player Romero transfer stalling?
Salary is the crunch issue. Football365 report Romero is seeking about €6.5million (£5.6m) per season, while Inter prefer closer to €5million (£4.3m). GIFN put his wage demand higher, at €8million per season.
Either way, sources agree player terms—not only the fee—are blocking a swift exit. De Zerbi has essentially confirmed Romero is free to go, saying he never called to convince him to stay after the World Cup semi-final and wants to “respect the will of the players.”
It still looks likely Romero leaves Spurs this summer. The open question is whether Inter close the wage gap—or Atletico turn exploration into a genuine hijack.