Inter Milan Targets Tottenham's Cristian Romero Amid Summer Turmoil

Inter Milan have set their sights on Tottenham captain Cristian Romero, testing the resolve of a club already braced for a turbulent summer under Roberto De Zerbi.

Sky in Italy report that the Serie A champions are seriously exploring a move for the Argentina defender. Any deal, though, would be financially intricate, shaped by Romero’s long contract, Spurs’ recent heavy spending and Inter’s own budget realities.

Romero, 28, is tied to Tottenham until 2029. There is a growing expectation that Spurs would listen if a suitably strong offer lands on the table. Inter want a new central defender and have placed Romero high on a shortlist that also features John Stones, now a free agent after leaving Manchester City and attracting interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

This is not a straightforward chase. It is a test of how far Inter are willing to stretch and how much Tottenham are prepared to reshape a squad already in the middle of a major rebuild.

Romero under the spotlight

Romero’s standing with Spurs supporters has been complicated in recent months.

He missed the end of last season with a knee injury, then drew sharp criticism when he appeared poised to watch his boyhood club Belgrano face River Plate in the Argentina Primera Division Apertura final instead of attending Tottenham’s crucial final‑day trip to Everton.

He did, ultimately, show up for that decisive match, where Spurs secured Premier League survival. But the episode underlined how fine the margins are for a club captain at a club in flux.

On the pitch, his impact is undeniable. Romero has made 124 appearances across five seasons for Tottenham, scoring 12 goals and receiving four red cards in the Premier League. He is aggressive, front‑foot, at times reckless – the kind of defender who changes the temperature of a game and divides opinion in the process.

Inter know exactly what they would be buying: a leader, a risk-taker, a centre-back built for high lines and high drama.

Full-back search pulls in Spurs again

Inter’s interest in north London does not end with Romero.

They also want a full-back and have kept Djed Spence on their list. The pursuit of the Spurs defender has cooled in recent weeks, the momentum slipping without fully disappearing. Spence remains an option, but he is no longer the only one.

Monaco’s Vanderson and Feyenoord’s Givairo Read are also under consideration as Inter look to refresh their wide defensive options. The Italian champions are spreading their net, but Tottenham’s squad remains firmly in their sights.

De Zerbi demands firepower

While Inter circle his captain, De Zerbi continues to push Tottenham forward at full speed in the market.

Spurs have already spent £237m on six new signings this summer. The headline figure is the club-record £100m deal for Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. Mateus Fernandes arrived for £85m, Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m, with Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka all joining on free transfers.

De Zerbi is not satisfied.

“The target now is to complete the attacking positions,” he said. “We want the first target, the first level, because anyway we are already important players, but I think to start the new project we need another couple of important players, for sure.”

He made it clear this window is far from closed from his point of view.

“It’s not finished yet, our transfer market window. We have to finish, we have to bring another couple of, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players.”

Tottenham have rebuilt their midfield and strengthened their back line. The next step, in De Zerbi’s mind, is obvious: add top-tier forwards who can carry a new project and shift the club away from the survival scrap that defined last season.

Juventus return for Vicario

While De Zerbi looks up the pitch, another key position is in motion behind the scenes.

Juventus are once again considering Guglielmo Vicario as a serious alternative to their top goalkeeper target Emi Martinez, according to Sky in Italy. Juve have already started to explore the conditions of a deal for Parma’s Zion Suzuki, but there is a gap in valuation between the clubs.

That gap is not thought to be insurmountable, which keeps Suzuki very much in play. Even so, Juventus intend to revisit Vicario, looking to drive the hardest possible bargain as they weigh their options.

Vicario is expected to leave Spurs this summer and has not travelled on the club’s pre-season tour because of what Tottenham describe as a minor injury.

“Vicario is injured, not a big injury, but he needs to stay one week in London,” De Zerbi said at his press conference.

Tottenham, then, find themselves in a familiar position: a major Italian club probing the price of their goalkeeper, while the head coach insists the issue is purely medical for now.

Bergvall at a crossroads

Another subplot runs through midfield, where Lucas Bergvall’s future hangs in the balance.

Sky Sports News understands the Sweden midfielder is determined to move on this summer. Nottingham Forest remain in the race, while Newcastle have also held talks with Spurs over potential figures.

Inside Tottenham, the message is mixed. Sources insist the club do not want to sell, yet there has been no serious attempt to persuade Bergvall to stay. De Zerbi has been clear on one point: he only wants players who genuinely want to be at the club.

Asked about Bergvall’s situation and his presence in the pre-season squad, De Zerbi said: “I have not spoken with Lucas yet. I will in the next days and we will make the best decision for the club, for Lucas, for me, for every one of us. Without problems, Lucas is a big, big talent.

“There will be a big competition to play because at the end, I think we will be two players for each position. If he wants to stay, I will be happy. Otherwise, we have to find a new solution with Johan Lange, with Vinai. It’s not my business after the decision to leave.”

The message is blunt. Stay and fight, or go with the club’s blessing and a deal agreed upstairs. For a young midfielder with ambition, it is a defining call.

Kudus close, Kulusevski caution

There is better news in attack.

Mohammed Kudus is “very close” to returning from a muscle injury that has kept him out since early January.

“Kudus is very close,” De Zerbi said. “I think when we come back to London he will be available to start working with us. It’s a great thing for us. Kudus is another important player.”

His return would add another dynamic, direct option to an attack that De Zerbi still wants to upgrade with at least two more signings.

The head coach also offered a further update on Vicario and Dejan Kulusevski.

“Vicario is injured, not a big injury, but he needs to stay one week in London,” he repeated, before turning to the Swede.

“Kulusevski, we have to see in the next couple of weeks. He’s another important player. After one season, one complete season, without a game, we have to analyse better and better, don’t take risks, first of all for him and then for us.”

It is a careful, almost protective tone. De Zerbi knows he cannot afford to lose another key attacker long term just as he tries to drag this squad into a new era.

A club on the brink of change

Romero on Inter’s list. Vicario on Juventus’ radar. Bergvall weighing his options. Kudus edging back, Kulusevski handled with care. All of it against the backdrop of a record-breaking spend and a manager demanding more.

Tottenham are not quietly tweaking at the edges. They are ripping up and rewriting the script, with Europe’s heavyweights circling their best assets and a new head coach insisting the project has barely started.

If Inter come hard for their captain and Juventus push for their goalkeeper, the real question is not who leaves.

It is what kind of team De Zerbi will have left to shape when the window finally slams shut.