Tottenham Hotspur Star Edging Closer to £50m Exit with European Giants ‘Speeing Up the Move’ | OneFootball

Tottenham’s Romero Edging Towards Atletico: Trouble Brewing in North London?

Cristian Romero’s time at Tottenham Hotspur may be drawing to a close, with Atletico Madrid now pushing hard for his signature. As reported by Edu Burgos on X, the Argentine centre-back is “Simeone’s top priority ahead of the Club World Cup,” and discussions are “speeding up” between the player and the Spanish side. A personal agreement, it appears, is all but sorted. But as always, the real challenge lies in negotiations with Spurs and their notoriously shrewd chairman, Daniel Levy.

“Atletico Madrid is speeding up the move for ‘Cuti’ Romero,” wrote Burgos. “Simeone’s top priority ahead of the Club World Cup. A personal agreement isn’t a problem. Negotiating with Tottenham is. The player likes the idea of ​​living in Madrid.”

This should come as little surprise to fans. While Romero, 26, remains one of Spurs’ most talented defenders on paper, his recent form and injury struggles have been a sticking point. Spurs, once hoping for a blockbuster fee, are now reportedly open to selling the World Cup winner for £50 million — far less than the £90 million valuation Levy initially touted.

Simeone’s Vision Meets Romero’s Fire

On the surface, Romero and Diego Simeone seem made for each other. Both are combative, intensely driven, and not shy of a scrap. Romero’s aggressive, front-foot defending could flourish under Simeone’s tactical demands, where physicality is no vice, but a virtue.

“Aside from both being Argentinian, the pair are feisty characters to say the least,” the report adds, “and Romero’s aggressive style of play would mesh well with what Simeone has built at Atleti.”

It’s a tantalising proposition for Romero, who appears drawn to the opportunity: a fresh start, Champions League ambitions, and a league perhaps better suited to his style. His interest in life in Madrid, as reported, only adds further weight to the likely outcome.

Spurs Stuck Between Value and Vulnerability

If Spurs do agree to let Romero go for around £50 million, it would be a major step down from their previous expectations. But context is everything. Romero’s form has dipped, with poor performances and a recurring battle with fitness making consistency elusive. While still one of the squad’s more vocal and passionate figures, his impact hasn’t always translated to clean sheets or points.

Photo: IMAGO

Spurs’ willingness to consider such an offer stems from “Romero’s patchy injury record of late and his less than stellar form at club level.” And transfer insider Fabrizio Romano weighed in too, adding that while a departure is “a possibility,” it hinges on Levy securing a “financial package” that satisfies Tottenham’s valuation.

“It’s a possibility but not something guaranteed as it depends on Daniel Levy,” Romano said. “So it’s something possible, definitely; but it has to be an important financial package or Levy won’t accept anything.”

Potential Replacements Already Under Review

Should Romero leave, Spurs will be forced back into the transfer market, possibly with urgency. Names are already being linked, with reports highlighting a list of five potential replacements. However, replacing a player like Romero — even an inconsistent version — is no easy task. He brings leadership, bite, and a sense of personality on the pitch that Tottenham often lack elsewhere.

As summer approaches, Tottenham’s ability to negotiate and reinvest smartly will define how disruptive this sale proves. Romero’s exit may be just the beginning of another cycle of change under Ange Postecoglou.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

If this report is accurate, then Tottenham are sleepwalking into another crisis. Selling Cristian Romero now — and at half his original valuation — feels like we’re slipping back into the same old Spurs cycle: develop a top player, fail to build properly around him, sell him when his stock drops, then panic-buy someone unproven.

Romero’s form this season hasn’t been great, no doubt. But who at Spurs has shone? He’s a World Cup winner, a leader, and one of the few with any bite in our backline. Letting him go to a manager like Simeone, who will get every ounce of grit and talent out of him, is just painful. We’ll be watching him thrive in Spain while we’re still trying to plug gaps with loanees or overhyped replacements.

And as for Levy — we get it, he’s a tough negotiator. But where’s that tenacity now? Accepting £50m, reportedly, is not just a step back, it’s an admission that the club has no long-term plan. Ange needs warriors in his system, not more question marks.

If Romero goes, fans deserve more than vague “replacements being lined up.” We need a real strategy — not another rebuild that hits the same brick walls.