Atletico agree £34.2m deal for Tottenham's Romero
Cristian Romero is set to join La Liga side Atletico Madrid as they agree a £34.2m fee with Tottenham for their captain.
Atletico Madrid have reached a £34.2m agreement to sign Tottenham's Cristian Romero. The 28-year-old Argentine defender is expected to be the club's fourth signing of the summer. Tottenham will retain a 15% sell-on fee as part of the transfer. Despite interest from Premier League champions Arsenal, Tottenham's management was unwilling to sell their captain.
Romero will depart the club after five seasons, during which he made 156 appearances and scored 13 goals. His tenure included a stint on loan from Atalanta in 2021. Romero participated in Argentina's run to the World Cup final this summer, missing only one game. He was due to return for pre-season with Tottenham, but extra time off was granted following the North American tournament.
Romero captained the team last season as Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation. The Argentine defender was permanently signed from Atalanta in a £42.5m deal, becoming a crucial part of their defense. This news is a significant setback for Tottenham fans, who are also set to lose midfielder Djed Spence to Inter Milan in a £25.6m deal.
With additions of midfielders Kang-in Lee, Morten Hjulmand, and left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, Atletico is poised to surpass £100m in transfer spending this summer if the Romero deal is finalized. Head coach Diego Simeone aims to bolster his squad after finishing fourth in La Liga last season, falling short of Villarreal's third-place position.
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