It's a move befitting Chairman Daniel Levy. Tottenham Hotspur is determined not to let Cristian Romero (27) go for a bargain price.
The British 'Telegraph' reported on the 27th (Korea time), "Tottenham is not yielding to pressures to sell Romero at a low price. Tottenham wants over £60 million (about 112.3 billion won) for him."
Romero, vice-captain of Tottenham and center-back for the Argentina national team, is at the center of intense transfer speculation this summer. He has been supporting captain Son Heung-min since last season, but is receiving interest from Atlético Madrid, which is looking to strengthen its defense. Since many of Romero's Argentina teammates are there, he has shown a positive reaction as it is a team where he could secure a starting position.
There are reports that Argentine manager Diego Simeone has been in regular contact with him. Romero has already given an 'OK sign,' and it has been reported that the agreement on the transfer fee between Atlético and Tottenham is crucial. Simeone noted, "Do we want Romero? Absolutely. He is a great player," showing no hesitation in his interest.
In particular, Romero himself acknowledged the possibility of a transfer, fueling speculation. When asked about his future in April, he said, "It depends on various situations. We'll have to wait and see what happens after the season. To be honest, I haven't talked with my agent yet, but I'm open to anything. I am also considering a new challenge to continue developing," and added, "I have never played in Spain. Honestly, I really want to play in La Liga."
However, Tottenham is not thinking of letting Romero go easily. He boasts a wide defensive range, excellent defensive skills, and the ability to contribute to attacks, making him one of the top defenders in the Premier League. Additionally, with a contract that runs until the summer of 2028, Tottenham is not in a hurry.
Furthermore, Romero is one of the locker room leaders as vice-captain. Given that captain Son Heung-min is now more likely than ever to leave Tottenham, losing Romero would be a significant blow to the newly appointed manager Thomas Frank. The Athletic also noted, "If Tottenham were to lose both Romero and Son at the same time, Frank would struggle to assert his leadership."
Tottenham's stance is firm. If they want Romero, they must bring at least £60 million. The media reported, "Manager Frank is facing a battle with Atlético to keep a discontented Romero. Tottenham has shown its determination not to yield to Atlético's pressure."
In particular, Chairman Levy is completely unshaken. According to The Athletic, Tottenham has not yet responded to Simeone's comments or Atlético's public offer and is confident that it will not adjust Romero's price downwards.
Sources indicate that attempts to publicly pressure Tottenham have not yielded good results for Chairman Levy, who prefers to handle matters privately.
Ultimately, the transfer fee is expected to be the key issue. According to Spanish 'AS', Atlético is also in a position where they cannot invest more than €60 million (about 95.9 billion won) for Romero's transfer. The future of Romero will largely depend on what negotiations are held with Chairman Levy, known as 'the dealmaker.'
However, there is also a risk that Romero could publicly demand a transfer. He has already expressed discontent toward the club several times. After returning from injury, he expressed gratitude only to the Argentina national team medical staff, excluding the club's medical team, and openly criticized the club's lack of ambition. Recently, upon the appointment of Frank, he paid tribute to former manager Ange Postecoglou, who was dismissed immediately.
'AS' emphasized, "Atlético has already obtained Romero's consent. It is even possible that he might formally request a transfer in writing in response to discontent with Tottenham. The relationship between Tottenham and Romero is not at its best, to Atlético's advantage. Particularly, Postecoglou's departure was decisive for Romero, who had conflicts with Levy and the medical staff. Currently, he is not included in next season's uniform promotion."
Romero will return to Tottenham for preseason training in the second week of July. Only then will the outlines surrounding his future become clearer. For now, Atlético is reportedly keeping an eye on Piero Inca pie (Bayer Leverkusen) in case the transfer for Romero fails.
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