Tottenham star has been linked with a shock move to Old Trafford.
Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have already arrived at Tottenham Hotspur to kickstart the Roberto De Zerbi era, although the latter’s signing is yet to be officially announced. Spurs are now advancing to get deals done for Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke and Manchester City winger Savinho, having agreed personal terms with both of them.
In Jan Paul van Hecke, the North London side could have their long-term replacement for Cristian Romero, who is among some players expected to leave this summer. The 2022 World Cup winner missed the end of the past season with a knee injury picked up in April. He has recovered from it and will feature for Argentina at this summer’s World Cup, having been named in their final 26-man squad.
However, a move away from Spurs is still expected later this summer, with the club bringing in Senesi on a free transfer from Bournemouth and trying to agree a fee with Brighton for Van Hecke.
Manchester United considering a move for Cristian Romero
The €45m Cristian Romero has been heavily linked with a move to Spain in recent months, but now it has emerged that one of Tottenham’s Premier League rivals are keen on signing him. According to reputed Argentine journalist Gaston Edul on X, Manchester United want to sign Romero and are preparing an offer for him.
The Red Devils currently have five centre-back options in the squad. However, Harry Maguire, who was handed a one-year contract extension, has struggled with injury problems in the last couple of years. The same can be said about Lisandro Martinez, who is entering the final 12 months of his deal at Old Trafford.
Matthijs de Ligt suffered a back injury in November 2025 and missed the rest of the campaign. He underwent a corrective back surgery in mid-May 2026, subsequently ruling him out of the World Cup. Other than the experienced trio, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are young options with high potential at the club. So, Manchester United’s interest in Romero makes total sense, especially with them returning to the Champions League next season.
It has been claimed by Romero’s father that the central defender has a £50m release clause in his contract after signing a new deal last summer. If Man United are aware of a release clause, they could first agree personal terms with the 28-year-old before deciding to trigger it. However, Tottenham would want more than £50m for their skipper, who is one of the best defenders in the Premier League on his day, and maybe even in the world.
We feel Van Hecke’s deal is going to have a big impact on Romero’s future. Should a fee with Brighton be agreed for their star Dutchman, an exit for Romero could be facilitated.