Credit: Imago

Declan Carr

Sat 30 May 2026 12:10, UK

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero has been heavily linked with an exit this summer.

The Argentine left supporters incensed when he returned to his homeland in order to watch his boyhood club potentially lift the title.

He ultimately returned for the final game of the season, but his relationship with the fanbase has been scarred after the incident.

Romero is reportedly a target for Atletico Madrid, and it could signal the continuation of a pattern with Spurs’ recent business.

Tottenham fans may not have noticed, but a lot of their exits and incomings have been linked to each other or the club’s ownership structure.

What is the pattern about Tottenham’s transfers

John Wenham has noticed a pattern in how Tottenham conduct their business and feels it could lead to a Romero exit.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “One thing I just wonder about, it would be the most typical Tottenham deal ever, would be that Romero would go to Atletico Madrid because they effectively wouldn’t pay for him.

“It would just be the instalments we owe on Conor Gallagher, and it would just be announced as though he’s gone for £40m to Atletico Madrid, and in reality, you’d just be swapping him for Gallagher, I could absolutely see Tottenham doing that.

“As we did with Harry Kane, he’s gone for £100m to Bayern, suddenly we’re getting Mathys Tel in the next window, we get Joao Palhinha, this window we’ll probably get someone else from Bayern Munich.

“It’s just how Tottenham operate, and people don’t seem to pick up on it in the media.

“Antonin Kinsky, you know we needed a goalkeeper in January, oh let’s go to Slavia Prague, who by chance, ENIC, our ownership group, also had shares in, in the past.

“They just wipe off the money or don’t pay the instalments or whatever, and then for the books, Profit and Sustainability, they announce, oh yeah, it was £40m or whatever.”

Is it working for Tottenham?

It remains to be seen whether the strategy pays off, but it seems like it is not doing too badly right now.

Kinksy has established himself as a contender for the number one shirt, Palhinha has proven himself to be a solid operator in midfield, and Tel is showing signs that he could step up next season.

While some will argue that the two 17th-placed league positions are not good enough, there are signs of progress under Roberto De Zerbi, as they would have finished fifth or sixth based on his points-per-game.

If it helps keep the N17 outfit within the lines of the financial regulations, then why wouldn’t they take advantage and keep bringing in decent players?