Atletico Madrid are aiming to sign a new central defender in the summer to replace the departing Axel Witsel and Cesar Azpilicueta, and right now, they are looking at the Premier League market to address their need.
Witsel and Azpilicueta leaving, alongside Clement Lenglet’s expected return to Barcelona following the end of his loan spell at the Metropolitano, would mean that Atleti are in dire need of a new centre-back. As it stands, Jose Maria Gimenez and Robin Le Normand are their only senior options.
Diego Simeone will have his say on who he wants added to his squad, and it is no surprise that Cristian Romero, who has also been linked with Real Madrid, is someone that he is keen on. The World Cup-winning defender would fit Atleti like a glove, which is why they are looking into the possibility of signing him.
Talks with Romero’s representatives have already taken place, and now Atleti are ready to enter into negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the summer transfer window. But their efforts to get a deal done look to have taken a significant blow.
As reported by Sky Sports (via Sport), Spurs have no desire to sell Romero, who is one of their most important players. And if Atleti do come calling, they will set an asking price of €80m.
Atleti would be unable to come close to this figure, and instead, they are hoping to get a deal done for a fee in the region of €50m. But at this stage, there are no signs of Spurs relenting to Los Colchoneros.
It will be very difficult for Atletico Madrid to sign Romero in the summer, as they cannot afford to spend as much as they did during the 2024 window. They will have to rely on Spurs lowering their asking price, which does not look likely to happen.
