Cristian Romero Transfer: Atletico Still Short of Spurs’ Fee

Cristian Romero transfer negotiations remain alive, but Atletico Madrid have yet to reach Tottenham Hotspur’s valuation for the World Cup-winning centre-back.

Cristian Romero transfer: Why Spurs hold firm

Tottenham consider the Argentine indispensable to Ange Postecoglou’s rebuild. The north London club paid a hefty sum to sign him from Atalanta in 2021 and have watched his stock soar after he marshalled Argentina’s back line to glory in Qatar. For that reason, club executives are insisting on a fee in excess of €80 million before entertaining any Cristian Romero transfer discussions.

Atletico’s stance and Simeone’s insistence

Diego Simeone is desperate for defensive reinforcements after an injury-plagued campaign exposed depth issues at the Wanda Metropolitano. Sources in Spain claim Atlético’s latest bid, worth around €60 million plus bonuses, was quickly rejected. The board are reportedly preparing an improved package, yet they remain cautious about breaching La Liga’s stringent salary caps.

Financial hurdles for Los Colchoneros

To finance a record Cristian Romero transfer, Atletico would likely need to move on at least one high-earner—Mario Hermoso and João Félix are the prime candidates. Even then, Tottenham’s hard-line stance leaves little room for negotiation unless a sizeable fixed fee is guaranteed up front.

What happens next?

Talks are expected to continue, but Spurs hold all the leverage: Romero is under contract until 2028 and has shown no public desire to force a move. Unless Atletico meet the asking price or include a player Tottenham truly covet, the deal appears unlikely this summer.

Opinion

From a sporting perspective, Romero’s aggressive style seems tailor-made for Simeone, yet fiscally this feels like a stretch for Atletico. Unless Spurs blink—which they rarely do—Romero looks set to stay in north London.