Spanish side Atletico Madrid have increased their offer for Tottenham defender Cristian Romero as they get near Spurs’ asking price, according to reports.
The north London club have completed three deals so far this summer with Luka Vuskovic joining from Hajduk Split, while Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel have completed permanent moves after successful loan spells.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is currently the only player Tottenham have sold this summer with the Denmark international moving to Marseille, while Fraser Forster and Sergio Reguilon left on free transfers.
Tottenham are in a good position to hang onto some of its best players because of Champions League qualification, despite their horrific 17th-placed finish last season.
One player who has been linked with a move away from north London in recent seasons is Romero with the Argentina international admired by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
Confirming interest from Atletico last month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano predicted that Tottenham would hold onto Romero for at least another season.
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Romano said: “Atletico Madrid loves the player, so they would love to bring the player to the club one day. Simeone is also a big fan.
“From what I understand, with Tottenham in the Champions League and a new project now with Thomas Frank, I don’t see Tottenham losing a leader like Cuti Romero this summer.
“It will be very difficult to get the player in this summer transfer window, Daniel Levy wants to keep the player at the club. From what I’m hearing, Thomas Frank sees Cuti Romero as a crucial part of the squad from a technical perspective but also as a leader.”
However, Atletico Madrid’s interest is serious and Spanish website Fichajes insists that the Spanish side are ‘very close to paying’ Spurs’ asking price for Romero.
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The Atletico board are ‘determined to fulfill one of Diego Simeone’s biggest desires’ by signing Romero this summer and the Argentina international is their ‘main target to bolster its defence’.
Atletico Madrid ‘has significantly increased its initial offer and is now considering reaching a figure close to 70 million euros, including the fixed fee (which would be around 55 million) and a series of variables that would complete the amount demanded by Spurs’.
Tottenham ‘does not want to let the defender leave for less than that amount, although the fact that the player has a contract until 2027 adds complexity to the deal’.
Atletico remain ‘positive’ on their chances of landing Romero and Simeone ‘has been in contact with the player for months’ as he attempts to persuade him to move to Spain.
Our friends at TEAMtalk reported that Romero was ‘livid’ at Tottenham’s decision to sack Ange Postecoglou after their Europa League triumph, and Spurs will now start the season with Thomas Frank as their head coach.
