Atletico Madrid has reached an agreement on a £34.2 million (40 million euros) fee to sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham. The 28-year-old defender is expected to become the Spanish club's fourth acquisition of the summer transfer window.
Tottenham will also retain a 15% sell-on clause as part of the agreement for their captain. Romero was a target for Premier League champions Arsenal in recent days, but Tottenham opted not to sell him to their North London rivals. He departs Tottenham after five seasons, during which he made 156 appearances and scored 13 goals, following an initial loan spell from Atalanta in 2021.
Romero represented Argentina in their World Cup campaign this summer, missing only one match. He was slated to return for Tottenham's pre-season training in the coming week, having been granted extended time off after the tournament. Last season, he captained the side as Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League. After joining permanently from Atalanta for £42.5 million, Romero became a vital component of their defense.
This transfer news follows reports that Tottenham may also lose England full-back Djed Spence to Inter Milan, with the Italian club reportedly in advanced talks for a £25.6 million (30 million euros) deal. Should the Romero transfer be finalized, Atletico's summer spending is projected to exceed £100 million, including the signings of midfielders Kang-in Lee and Morten Hjulmand, and left-back Alejandro Grimaldo. Head coach Diego Simeone is looking to strengthen his squad after Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season, trailing Villarreal who secured third place.