Cristian Romero in Tottenham exit talks as hold-up emerges
Christian Romero’s time with Tottenham Hotspur appears to be coming to an end after almost three years at the club.
The World Cup winner recently expressed his desire to play in Spain, which triggered a backlash from some Tottenham supporters.
Atletico Madrid have been strongly linked with a move for the centre-back, but recent reports suggest there is work to do on the potential deal.
Stumbling block emerges in potential Romero move
Romero is seemingly on his way to the Spanish capital this summer, and has held talks with Atletico boss Diego Simeone.
Given that the pair have spoken, it would suggest that the deal is a formality, but recent reports suggest there is still work to do on Atletico’s end.
Reports imply that Simeone has been unable to convince the club’s directors to commit to the investment, according to TyC Sports.
This could present other clubs with an avenue to land a deal with the Argentine, with Aston Villa boss Unai Emery an admirer of the 26-year-old.
Considering Spurs forked out just under £50m for Romero, they will surely recuperate that money and more, given his stock has risen.
Tottenham should not stand in Romero’s way
When a player expresses a desire to play elsewhere, that is often enough for the parties to part ways.
Romero is clearly a talented player, but his desire to play at a higher level seems to have affected his performances for Tottenham this campaign.
In what has been an injury-hit season, the centre-back has managed 23 appearances in all competitions and has worn the captain’s armband on several occasions.
| Christian Romero’s 2024/25 Premier League statistics | Total |
| Appearances | 18 |
| Clean sheets | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1.2 |
| Tackles per game | 1.9 |
| Clearances | 2.9 |
| Touches per game | 78.8 |
| Accurate passes | 60.3 (90%) |
Spurs’ plight has not helped the matter, and Romero will be acutely aware that he needs to be playing at a higher level to win more trophies.
The North London outfit are currently sat in 16th position but do have the prospect of lifting silverware in the form of the Europa League.
Atletico would represent a step up on Tottenham, and the allure of playing Champions League football for a team with trophy-winning potential would be hard to ignore.
For the Lilywhites, would it be worth keeping a player who does not want to be there?
Another factor worth mentioning is, of course, Daniel Levy, who has a reputation for driving a hard bargain.
However, Atleti may not be deterred as they have spent big money in the past, signing Joao Felix and Julian Alvarez for figures of around £100million.
With changes in North London on the horizon, Romero is likely to be at the heart of the exodus from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.