Tottenham Set to Sell Cristian Romero to Serie A or LaLiga Giants
Tottenham are preparing to cut loose one of the pillars of their defence, with Cristian Romero expected to leave before the transfer window closes and serious interest building from both Inter Milan and Barcelona.
This is not a marginal call. It is a reset.
Spurs have thrown their weight behind Roberto De Zerbi and rebuilt the spine of the squad at considerable cost. Around £237m has already gone on Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, a statement spend that underlines the club’s commitment to the Italian’s vision.
Experience has been layered on top. Martin Dubravka, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson have all arrived as free agents, bringing leadership and know-how to a dressing room that has repeatedly come up short in decisive moments.
The side-effect of that recruitment drive sits squarely in the heart of defence. With two of the six new faces operating at centre-back and no European football to stretch the squad, Tottenham suddenly find themselves overcrowded at the back. Micky van de Ven remains a cornerstone, Van Hecke is expected to play a major role, Senesi adds left-sided balance, and Kevin Danso is in the mix as well.
Something – or someone – has to give.
Romero, an Argentina international and World Cup winner, has been a constant presence since he first arrived on loan in 2021. Aggressive, front-foot, occasionally wild, he has embodied much of Tottenham’s defensive personality over the past three seasons. Yet the club have now decided the time is right to move on.
On his YouTube channel, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano left little room for doubt.
He stated that the relationship between Romero and Tottenham is effectively over and that the defender is expected to leave this summer. With the club well stocked at centre-back and facing a campaign without the extra load of European fixtures, Spurs are described as “ready to let Romero go”.
Two giants are circling.
Inter Milan have pushed to the front of the queue. Romano described the Serie A champions as “very keen” on Romero, with the main question in Milan revolving around whether they can structure a deal that works financially. The interest is concrete; the challenge lies in the numbers.
Barcelona, by contrast, are watching the situation with a more conditional eye. The Catalan club admire Romero, but any move depends on outgoings. Only if they sell a centre-back this summer will a space open up for the Argentine, making his potential arrival at the Camp Nou part of a wider transfer domino rather than a standalone priority.
Crucially for Spurs, Romero is not digging in his heels.
Reports from Italy indicate that Tottenham are not only open to a sale, but that the player himself is comfortable with closing this chapter of his career in north London. He is understood to be willing to join Inter and is not insisting on holding out for Barcelona, a stance that could accelerate negotiations with the Italian champions.
The fee will define how satisfied Spurs feel with the outcome.
Club insider Graeme Bailey recently revealed that Tottenham initially set their sights on a £50m payday for Romero. That figure reflects his status as a senior international, his importance in recent seasons and the difficulty of replacing a defender of his calibre when fully fit and in form.
Reality, though, has a way of trimming valuations.
Romero is 28 and has carried a patchy injury record through his time in England. Within the club there is an acceptance that those factors will weigh on any bid. As a result, Spurs are understood to be prepared to compromise, with a figure closer to £40m likely to be enough to get a deal over the line.
For Tottenham, it would mark the end of a turbulent but significant era at the back and clear the path for De Zerbi’s reshaped defence to take full control.
For Romero, it could be the doorway to a starring role at the heart of the champions of Serie A or LaLiga.
The only question now is which shirt he pulls on next.
