Atletico Madrid Prepare Opening Bid for Tottenham Defender Cristian Romero
Diego Simeone eyes Argentine centre-back as Atletico Madrid clear wage space for official proposal.
MADRID — Atletico Madrid are preparing an opening bid worth up to €40 million for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero, moving to secure manager Diego Simeone’s primary defensive target once outgoing player transfers clear wage capacity.
The Spanish club’s proposal, reported by Marca at an initial €30 million and by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano at closer to €40 million, follows clear indications from the Argentine international that he favors a move to La Liga over other European destinations.
Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany is aligning the official submission with the exit of defender Nahuel Molina to AS Roma, alongside potential salary relief if left-back Matteo Ruggeri completes a move to Aston Villa. Romero currently commands one of the higher salary packages at Tottenham, making offloads necessary to comply with squad cost limits.
Spurs hold contract leverage with Romero signed through 2029. While Cadena SER reports the North London club initially set a €50 million valuation, internal discussions reported by TeamTalk suggest Tottenham could accept a package nearer £40 million due to the player’s recent injury record.
The pursuit is personally championed by Simeone, who views the World Cup-winning centre-back as the anchor for Atletico’s ongoing defensive rebuild. According to AS, Simeone regards Romero as the ideal fit for his system. Inter Milan previously arranged a €40 million package with Tottenham, but the move collapsed after Romero declined to agree to personal terms in favor of a potential move to Spain, Romano reported.
A unique contractual mechanism could further assist Madrid’s push. Reporting from Marca indicates Romero inserted a clause into his Tottenham contract that activates if a qualifying offer is received from one of Spain’s top three clubs, giving Atletico a structural edge over non-Spanish suitors.
While Atletico continue to monitor Fiorentina winger Nico González, club officials have made securing Romero their principal objective for the current window.
