Just as Inter Milan thought they were nearing a deal to sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid have now stepped in to take a big step towards landing the centre-back.
Over the last week, plenty of outlets have claimed that Spurs had agreed a €40m (£34m) deal with Inter Milan for their captain following weeks of negotiations.
Some sources have even claimed over recent days that the Nerazzurri have agreed personal terms with Romero on a five-year contract.
However, at the same time, we know that Atletico Madrid have reignited their interest in the Tottenham star, and the La Liga club may now have made significant progress in their pursuit of the 28-year-old.
Atletico Madrid agree personal terms with Tottenham’s Cristian Romero
Over the last 24 hours, some Spanish outlets have claimed that Atletico Madrid are preparing to send an opening offer to Spurs for the centre-back.
Journalist Nicolo Schira has now revealed that Romero and the La Liga club have reached an agreement in principle on a long-term contract worth €6m (£5.1m) per year.
He added that Atletico are looking to hammer out a deal with the North London club, who are holding out for €40m-€45m (£34.3m-£38.5m) for the experienced defender.
Schira wrote on X: “Agreement in principle between Cuti Romero and Atletico Madrid for a contract until 2030 (6M/year) with option for 2031. Atleti are now in talks with Tottenham to reach a deal. THFC want 40-45M to sell the centre-back, who has already asked to be sold.”
How much are Atletico set to offer for Romero?
Marca believe that Atletico’s opening offer for Romero would be worth just €30m (£26m), which is significantly lower than what Inter are willing to pay for the player.
However, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Atletico’s offer for the Tottenham man will be in line with Inter’s €40m (£34m) bid.
The La Liga club could have a big advantage in the transfer race, as it has been reported that Romero prefers linking up with Diego Simeone’s side over joining the Serie A club.