It’s been a veritable flood of transfer movement over the last couple of days for Tottenham Hotspur; but do you know who’s not moving?
Cristian Romero, that’s who.
That’s according to The Athletic, where Jack Pitt-Brooke has said in no uncertain terms that Atletico Madrid are no longer pursuing the Argentine:
Get in, lads.
There were hints of this earlier in the week, with Fabrizio Romano suggesting minimal contact between the clubs, and it appears Spurs’ price tag has scared off the Spanish club. Rumors had been going around that Madrid were willing to pay around €55 million to secure the services of Romero, who has only two years remaining on his contract; but even with his deal running down, that’s a pretty rubbish offer for somebody who is, frankly, one of the best ball-playing center backs in the world. They don’t grow on trees, you know.
With Spurs holding firm on a valuation closer to €70 million, Pitt-Brooke in his piece indicates that Atletico Madrid now expect Romero could sign a new contract with Spurs; something that is possible, but does seem improbable if you believe what you read online (which you absolutely shouldn’t). If Cuti does agree to a new deal, he would potentially end up Spurs’ best-paid player in what would be a massive coup for the club. I think what’s more likely is he leaves next summer for a more modest fee, with Spurs arguably getting more value from keeping Romero for another season than they would by selling now for a bargain-bin price.