Tottenham Hotspur are doing their best to prevent a Cristian Romero transfer to Atletico Madrid, despite both the player and the suitors seeming pretty keen on the move. This comes in yet another transition period for the club as Thomas Frank arrives at to unsettled team, which is not ideal given the pressure that will already be on the Dane.
Tottenham Hotspur ‘Refuse to Be Bullied’ Over Cristian Romero’s Potential Transfer to Atletico Madrid
Valuation of Over £60 Million
Matt Law of The Telegraph has revealed that Tottenham “refuse to be bullied into a cut-price sale” of Romero. Spurs value their centre-back at over £60 million, though there are “doubts” that Atleti would pay this. The Argentinian has been described as “disgruntled”, posting a tribute message to former coach Ange Postecoglou in response to the announcement of Frank’s hiring.
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Los Colchoneros have been putting public pressure on Tottenham, something that chairman Daniel Levy is not a fan of, as he prefers to do his business privately. Diego Simeone stated in an interview: “Do I want Cuti Romero? Of course. He’s a great player”. Whilst the 27-year-old appears to want to leave (saying just months ago “I’d love to play in La Liga”), and Atleti are keen to get their man, Spurs are “determined they will not be bullied into a cut-price sale”.
Losing a vice-captain alongside the potential departure of Son Heung-min (Captain) could be a big problem for Frank.
Tottenham Already Signing Romero Replacement?
Whilst the departure of Romero is not what the club will be hoping for this summer, if he does leave they may already be signing their long-term replacement. A deal has been agreed for Kota Takai, a Japanese wonderkid from the J League, for £5 million. The 20-year-old centre-back is still young, but will reportedly be a part of the first-team squad from the off, as Johan Lange expects him to “follow in the footsteps” of the likes of Lucas Bergvall as a rising talent.
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In the next couple of seasons, Takai could be the perfect Romero replacement. Meanwhile, in the short-term, the permanent signing of Kevin Danso should suffice; a £21 million deal was an obligation as part of his loan which was agreed back in the January transfer window.