Tottenham Hotspur’s efforts to move on Cristian Romero have not been fruitful so far as we enter the final few weeks of the transfer window.
Roberto De Zerbi has said that he will not convince Romero to stay at Tottenham, hinting that he had promised the centre-back last season that he would help him get a summer move.
Reports over the last few days had suggested that Spurs had agreed a €40m (£34m) deal with Inter Milan for the World Cup winner, and only personal terms were left to be finalised.
Some Italian outlets had even claimed that Romero was close to agreeing a contract with the Nerazzurri, but it has now emerged that a deal may not be as close as many thought.
Inter Milan have to sell before buying Tottenham’s Cristian Romero
Sky Sports have revealed on their live transfer blog that the total package required to sign the Spurs captain, including his wage demands, is proving ‘prohibitive’ for the Serie A club.
The report further asserts that the Italian club would need to raise cash through player sales before they can finalise a deal for Romero.
It is explained that the sale of Benjamin Pavard could potentially unlock the funds necessary for the Serie A side to secure a deal for the 28-year-old. However, this delay may open the door for other clubs to hijack a deal for the Argentine defender.
La Liga clubs continue to circle over Romero
Over the last few days, several outlets have reported that Atletico Madrid have reignited their interest in Romero after exploring a deal for the centre-back last summer.
It has been alleged that Diego Simeone sees the Spurs star as the ‘perfect’ centre-back for his side, having long-admired his compatriot.
Additionally, TEAMtalk claimed a few days ago that Romero’s entourage are also in contact with Real Madrid and Barcelona, who remain interested in a deal for the Spurs man.