Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is open to following in the controversial footsteps of Sol Campbell and crossing the north London divide, according to reports.
The Spurs skipper appears certain to leave this summer and is set for an acrimonious exit. Romero was already on thin ice with Tottenham fans after he threatened to stay away from their final game of last season, when a win was required to guarantee Premier League survival.
Injury and Exit Speculation
The 28-year-old had been nursing a knee injury and had been keen to continue his rehabilitation in Argentina, rather than attend a must-win match against Everton. Ultimately, Romero was in situ as Spurs ground out a 1-0 victory, but it appears as though he has played his last game for the club he joined from Atalanta five years ago.
Atletico Madrid were the frontrunners, having jumped ahead of Inter, who had agreed a €40m (£34m) deal but had been unable to settle on personal terms. Romero, however, could throw a further spanner in the works and send shockwaves through north London by angling for a move to Arsenal.
Arsenal's Defensive Needs
According to The Sun, the Argentina international is open to a move to the Premier League champions, although Spurs have no intention of allowing him to cross the divide. Despite the need to further bolster his forward line, Mikel Arteta is aware of the need to strengthen in defence, especially in light of William Saliba's back injury.
The France international is facing an extended period on the sidelines after he aggravated a long-standing back injury during Les Bleus' World Cup semi-final defeat against Spain.
'William Saliba has returned to us from World Cup duty, where he played an integral role in France reaching the semi-finals of the competition,' read a statement on the club's official website. 'Subsequent specialist reviews on William's return to London this week have confirmed that he has suffered a back injury which will require a period of rehabilitation.
'Extensive assessments have concluded that surgery is not recommended, but William should now commence a managed recovery programme. William's rehabilitation will commence immediately, with continual management of his injury, and he is expected to be out of action for an extended period. Everyone is fully focused on supporting William to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.'
Other Targets
Arsenal are also expected to make a bid for Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa, while they are also interested in Como's Jacobo Ramon.
