Football España

Barcelona appear to have decided that they want to hang onto defender Eric Garcia for next season, or at the very least, want to guard against losing him on the cheap. However as has been the case over the last two transfer windows, there are others interested in offering him a bigger role.

Garcia is out of contract in the summer of 2026, giving Barcelona Director of Football Deco a choice: either cash in on Garcia this summer, or offer him a new deal. Close to leaving last summer and again in the January transfer window, manager Hansi Flick persuaded him to stay. As reported earlier, Barcelona have decided that they will now offer him a new deal.

Tottenham Hotspur interested in offering an alternative

Sempre Barca have confirmed that Deco intends to offer Garcia a new deal at the end of the season, with Flick one of the key advocates for his continuity. There are a variety of teams that are interested in Garcia for the summer though. Former loan club Girona, Real Sociedad and Como are all set to renew their interest in him from previous windows, while Real Betis and Champions League opponents are also now looking at the Barcelona defender.

Ben Seghir dreams of joining Barcelona. @sport

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 2, 2025

Perhaps the biggest financial power in the mix is Tottenham Hotspur though. Spurs have added Garcia to their transfer list, and Garcia could be an easy source of income for the Blaugrana, who again are struggling to fit inside their salary limit this summer.

How will Eric Garcia proceed?

Garcia has so far prioritised success at Barcelona, despite enjoying a starting role at Girona. If he should feel that a regular starting spot is his number one objective, that may tempt him to move, but otherwise, Garcia will likely feel he has both a good project and a chance at trophies with a young Barcelona squad, at the club he grew up supporting.

Atletico Madrid are aiming to sign a top central defender for the second successive summer, and their top target is in the Premier League. And although a deal will be tricky to pull off, there is a belief that they can get it over the line.

The expected departures of Axel Witsel and Cesar Azpilicueta mean that Atleti would only have Jose Maria Gimenez and Robin Le Normand as centre-back options for next season, given that Clement Lenglet is projected to return to Barcelona when his loan spell comes to an end – although it is expected that they will try to keep him at the Metropolitano on a permanent basis.

But even if this happens, Atleti need another option in the centre of defence, and as per Diario AS, their top target is Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina star Cristian Romero.

Romero is keen as Spurs’ best defender, and in order to stave off Atleti’s interest, they are hoping to agree a new contract with him. But that could be difficult as the 27-year-old is reported to be very interested in a summer move to Atleti, with this revelation coming weeks after he publicly revealed his desire to play in La Liga.

Atleti believe they can sign Romero for a fee in the region of €40-50m, although at this stage, Spurs are not prepared to entertain any offers below €70m. But if the player pushes for a move to the Spanish capital, they could be forced to negotiate.

🚨🇦🇷 Atlético Madrid would like to complete a deal for Cuti Romero in time for the Club World Cup.

The club is willing to pay a fee of between €40m and €50m plus add-ons. Tottenham wants €70m.@diarioas pic.twitter.com/lUZDx1Zur3

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) April 28, 2025

Atletico Madrid have not ruled out signing Romero in time for him to be involved at the Club World Cup this summer, and a deal could be done during the newly-created transfer window that runs from the 1st of June to the 10th. They certainly appear confident of getting their man, but it will not be straightforward.

It is no secret that Atletico Madrid want to sign a new midfielder in the summer, and they have set their sights on the Premier League if their bid to strengthen Diego Simeone’s squad in that position.

Atleti wanted to sign a defensive midfielder last summer to compete alongside Pablo Barrios, Rodrigo De Paul and club captain Koke Resurreccion, but after spending big on the likes of Julian Alvarez, Conor Gallagher and Alexander Sorloth, they did not have the funds available to address the position. But in 2025, they are hoping to finally get it done.

And according to The Times, one of their targets is Rodrigo Bentancur. The Uruguayan international is considered an important player at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, but with his current contract expiring at the end of next season, there are fears that he could leave this summer.

Spurs are in talks with Bentancur over a new deal, but if an agreement is not reached before the summer transfer window opens, it presents an opportunity for Atleti to go for a cut-price deal, knowing that the Premier League side may need to cash in to avoid losing him on a free next summer.

Bentancur is not the only Spurs player that Atleti are interested in, with fellow South American Cristian Romero also featuring high on their list of central defender target. The World Cup winner recently revealed that he wants to play in La Liga during his career, and that wish could be granted sooner rather than later.

It remains to be seen whether Atletico Madrid are able to get a double deal done with Spurs, but if so, it would be two outstanding pieces of business. There is no doubt that Romero and Bentancur would significant improve their squad as a whole, and both players would be strong candidates to be regular starters too.

Atletico Madrid have again seen how their defence has struggled to hold up in the decisive stages of the season, and after investing in Robin Le Normand last summer, are again looking ot make a splash in the transfer market. With Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo de Paul and Julian Alvarez already at the Metropolitano, their ‘dream’ signing for this summer is another Argentina international: Cristian Romero.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender has seen his own season hampered by injuries this year, but not long ago was being talked about as one of the best in the game. At 26 years of age, he is also entering the prime of his career. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have both looked at him during this season, but Los Rojiblancos seem much more intent on making a move, and have already opened contacts with his camp.

Romero himself fuelled speculation earlier this week by admitting in an interview that he would be delighted to play in Spain, and if there was one place he would move to next, it would be La Liga. However it will not be an easy deal, with Tottenham Hotspur unlikely to give him up without a fight – for a start his reported price tag is around €80m.

🚨 Diego Simeone: “They’ve known me for 14 years, but it’s not just about me — it’s the club’s mentality. We want people with character, personality, and a team-first mindset over individualism…” pic.twitter.com/37B1GrZNy7

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) April 23, 2025

According to Caught Offside, Spurs have also opened contract talks with Romero with a view to keeping him long-term too. They note that Atletico may face competition from any of the three Premier League sides also interested in the Argentina star, but Tottenham will do their best to keep Romero.

With two years remaining on his deal, it is no surprise that Spurs are keen to open talks, as leaving it until 2026 will weaken their negotiating position, both in the market and in contract discussions. If they cannot agree to a new deal with Romero, then that would certainly open the doors to a move this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur lynchpin Cristian Romero has admitted that he is keen to play in La Liga, amid links to a move to Spain. The Argentina international is one of Spurs’ key players, even if this season has been hampered by injury, and he is believed to be a primary target for Atletico Madrid, who are looking to reunite him international teammates Julian Alvarez and Rodrigo de Paul.

That said, it is likely to be a difficult deal. Spurs are notorious for their tough negotiating, and Romero has two years left on his contract in North London. They are likely to want to lock him into a new contract in the next year, and so could consider selling him, but only at a high price.

Recent reports from the Spanish capital say that Romero and Atletico have been in preliminary talks, and that Tottenham have set an €80m asking price. In a recent inteview with Gaston Edul, Romero spoke about his future, admitting that he would like a move to Spain.

“We’re in the Europa League semi-finals, and I want to finish the season on a high note. After that, we’ll see. My focus is always on growing and looking for new places to continue developing.”

Cuti Romero en @losedul:

“Estamos en semifinales de Europa League y quiero terminar la temporada de la mejor manera. Después de eso se verá, en mi cabeza siempre está crecer y buscar nuevos lugares donde seguir creciendo”.

“¿En qué liga te gustaría jugar que nunca jugaste?

“Me… pic.twitter.com/w0LBEIZcVr

— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) April 21, 2025

“I need to play in Spain to compete in all the major leagues,” he explained, when asked which league he would most like to play in that he has not.

Having played in Serie A and the Premier League, it is perhaps the most logical answer for Romero to give, but certainly given the speculation, it will not do anything to quieten talk of a move to Atletico. Los Rojiblancos surprised many by spending over €200m last summer, but despite the addition of Robin Le Normand, have struggled defensively in the crunch phase of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah has confirmed what was previously an open secret: he will be leaving this summer. Expected to have a host of offers from Europe’s top clubs, Tah is available for free at the end of his contract, which expires this summer.

Originally pursued by Bayern Munich and Barcelona last summer, the Bavarian giants have publicly confirmed that they are no longer trying to sign Tah, while for Barcelona, it has been reported that they have an agreement on personal terms with the Germany international.

Speaking to German magazine Kicker, as quoted by Sport, Tah has confirmed that he will be leaving Leverkusen in the summer.

“I decided some time ago not to stay here, and the club knows it now. As always, I’ve communicated it openly, and everything is now clear,” he explained, although it is no great surprise, having been linked with an exit since last summer.

There are conflicting reports on whether Barcelona will finally move for him though. While there does appear to be a consensus that Tah and Barcelona have an agreement on terms, and that the 29-year-old is prioritising a move to the La Liga behemoth, there is no clear course of action from the Catalan side. Some say they have reassured Tah they will sign him, while others say that talks have gone cold, with Tah giving the Blaugrana until May to give him guarantees.

Infographic: The remaining games this season for Barcelona and Real Madrid. @martinezferran pic.twitter.com/A6xVB2tQ3K

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 21, 2025

This summer, Tottenham Hotspur will almost certainly be shopping in the La Liga market, given that they have an enticing clause that allows them to sign Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso for a reduced price, which was agreed upon last August as part of the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Los Verdiblancos.

In recent weeks, it has been reported that Spurs will look to trigger the clause that they have for Cardoso, as they see the American defensive midfielder as a player that adds value to their first team squad. However, it is not guaranteed that a deal takes place even if this happens, as the player himself is showing no signs of wanting a move away.

Earlier this week, Cardoso spoke to El Chiringuito (via ED) on his desire to remain at Betis for a while yet, and he is also desperate to secure Champions League qualification – which is something that Spurs can only do if they win this season’s Europa League.

“I’m very happy here and I hope I can continue to enjoy myself at Betis for many years. Qualifying for the Champions League? It is our dream and our goal.”

It has been reported in recent weeks that Betis expect Cardoso to leave, which is why they have started to look at possible replacements. However, these quotes should give them hope that Spurs’ interest will be staved off during the summer transfer window, which would be magnificent news.

Cardoso has been an excellent player for Betis since his arrival from Internacional back in the winter of 2024. He has nailed down a starting spot under head coach Manuel Pellegrini, which would make his departure all the more painful were it to happen. But for now, there are chances for him to remain at the Benito Villamarin.