Atletico Madrid have agreed a deal in principle with Tottenham Hotspur to sign club captain Cristian Romero for a package in the region of £34.2m (€40m) including add-ons, according to reports. The agreement includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause, bringing an end to the Argentina international’s five-year spell in north London.
Transfer Details and Valuation Discrepancies
The fee agreed with the Spanish side stands at roughly £34.2m (€40m), representing a financial loss on the £42m Tottenham paid Atalanta to sign him in the summer of 2021.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Tottenham summer special podcast, former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara highlighted the disparity in transfer income:
“The problem is if you’re going to go and sell him to Atletico Madrid, they haven’t got the money. If we were selling him to Man Utd, we could probably get £60m-70m for him. But the problem is if you sell a player to Europe, they just don’t have the money that the Premier League clubs have.”
Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge added that Spurs failed to extract full value for a player of Romero’s calibre, noting that teenage defender Luka Vuskovic commanded a club-record £50m fee from Brighton despite never making a competitive appearance for Tottenham.
Disciplinary Record and Fan Friction
Romero made 124 appearances for Tottenham across five seasons, scoring 12 goals while picking up four Premier League red cards. His final campaign proved turbulent; he was sent off twice during the club’s relegation battle and missed the end of the season due to a knee injury sustained in a defeat at Sunderland.
Tensions between the player and supporters flared late in the season when Romero appeared set to watch his boyhood club Belgrano play River Plate in the Argentina Primera Division Apertura final rather than attending Tottenham’s crucial survival fixture against Everton. Although Romero ultimately attended the match—which secured Spurs’ Premier League safety—the incident drew heavy criticism.
Jamie O’Hara pulled no punches regarding the defender’s late-season conduct on the Sky Sports Tottenham summer special podcast:
“He was captain last season, and the way he acted at the end of the season, when he got injured and we all saw him crying, that wasn’t for Tottenham; it was more for Argentina and his World Cup. And then he goes to Argentina on the last day of the season… that situation for me needs to be put to bed.”
Did you know?
Romero played in all seven matches during Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, and has a contract with Spurs that was originally due to run until the summer of 2029 after he signed a new four-year deal last August, according to BBC Sport.
Missed Arsenal Interest and Replacement Options
Prior to the agreement with Atletico Madrid, other suitors monitored the defender’s availability. However, discussions never advanced beyond initial interest because Tottenham were reluctant to sell their captain to a Premier League rival.
Michael Bridge noted that any potential move to the Emirates Stadium would have caused significant backlash among supporters, noting that the north rival clubs have not completed a direct transfer since goalkeeper Pat Jennings crossed the divide in 1945 for a reported £45,000.
With Romero’s departure imminent, Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi—who recently stated he would “respect the will” of players wishing to leave, per BBC Sport—can lean on existing defensive depth. Micky van de Ven is close to agreeing a new five-year deal in north London, while defensive cover is also provided by players such as Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the transfer fee for Cristian Romero?
How long was Romero’s contract at Tottenham?
Romero signed a four-year contract extension in August, tying him to Tottenham until the summer of 2029.
Did Arsenal try to sign Romero?
Yes, Arsenal explored Romero as a defensive reinforcement earlier in the month, but talks did not progress because Tottenham were unwilling to sell their captain to a domestic rival.
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