Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero is on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid, with the defender reportedly giving the green light to the move. However, the two clubs remain a few million pounds apart on valuation, and the bonus structure is yet to be agreed.
Romero's preferred destination
According to reports, Atletico, boosted by the allure of coach Diego Simeone, are understood to be Romero's favoured destination ahead of other interested clubs, including Inter Milan, Arsenal, and Barcelona. The Argentinian defender is expected to head to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, a year after signing a four-year contract and taking the captain's armband at Spurs.
Romero has previously come close to leaving Tottenham, notably following Ange Postecoglou's exit. Manager Roberto De Zerbi told football.london during the club's pre-season tour that he would respect Romero's and Guglielmo Vicario's desires to leave north London this summer.
De Zerbi's comments on Romero
De Zerbi said: "At the beginning of my time, in April, I had, I don't know, one million individual meetings! And [the players] told me what was their idea. I said: 'Yes, help me to stay up, and then I help you to leave'. If you don't help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me!"
"But Romero with me was unbelievable. Top. In his behaviour, his respect, he suffered when he did not play the last game. It is not true that he wanted to leave for Argentina to prepare for their World Cup."
"It's not true. After the semi-final [against England] we text a message, but I never called him to convince him to stay. I respected what he told me. Like for Vicario, like for every player."
"Romero as a player is one of the best centre-backs in the world, but at the end I said I want to respect the will of the players."
Van Hecke as a replacement
Meanwhile, former Spurs forward Teddy Sheringham believes new arrival Jan Paul van Hecke represents a more reliable choice for his old club than Romero. Tottenham finalised the £52m acquisition of defender Van Hecke from Brighton and Hove Albion in June.
The Dutchman, who had twelve months remaining on his deal with the Seagulls, penned a 'long-term' deal after Spurs initially had two offers turned down. De Zerbi collaborated with Van Hecke across two campaigns at the American Express Stadium and identified the Netherlands international as a key part of the reconstruction at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Sheringham, speaking via ComeOn, said: "Is Jan Paul van Hecke a safer option for Tottenham Hotspur at the back? Yes, because that's where a lot of the criticism has come from, the way Tottenham leaked goals last season, and there has to be reasons for it."
"Cristian Romero has gone missing. Micky van de Ven has had his moments. Robert De Zerbi needs to do what George Graham did and start from scratch and just make sure his team aren't conceding soft goals, and if Van Hecke can come in and stabilise that defence a bit, then I think he'll be a fantastic signing."
"Listen, I wouldn't want to play against Cristian Romero. He might be a loose cannon, but he's a really good player. He's a World Cup winner, and you don't win a World Cup being an average player."
"You've got to be careful what you're doing if you're Tottenham just getting rid of him because he's had a bad spell. He could go somewhere else, like Barcelona or Real Madrid, and hit it off."
"I played with Roy Keane, and he got plenty of red cards in his time, and you've got to have your leaders and your naughty players sometimes to stamp things out, otherwise people walk all over you, but it's got to be done in the right way."
"I hope Roberto De Zerbi can put an arm round Romero, but there's always so much speculation about his future, isn't there? So maybe the writing is on the wall."
