Man United have now entered the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero this summer transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero could yet be on his way out of N17 this summer, despite putting pen to paper on a new contract last year.
The Argentine has been subject to heavy transfer speculation in recent seasons, with Atletico Madrid showing strong interest in signing him last summer.
That came after Romero publicly admitted he would love to play in La Liga. He ultimately stayed put but endured a mixed campaign, with his performances lacking consistency throughout the season.
In a year where Tottenham struggled badly in the Premier League, the club captain was accused by some supporters of letting his side down due to his disciplinary issues and periods of unavailability.
| Player | Red cards since 2022-23 |
|---|---|
| Cristian Romero | 4 |
| Casemiro | 3 |
| Lewis Cook | 3 |
| Abdoulaye Doucoure | 2 |
| Anthony Gordon | 2 |
| Ashley Young | 2 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 2 |
| Conor Gallagher | 2 |
| Curtis Jones | 2 |
| Jack Stephens | 2 |
Tottenham face Manchester United battle for Cristian Romero
Romero’s future now appears increasingly likely to be away from north London, with Argentine journalist Gaston Edul reporting that Manchester United are keen to sign the Argentine defender.
The Red Devils are looking to strengthen their defensive options and have identified Romero as their preferred target ahead of the summer window.
It is understood that an offer for the 28-year-old is now being prepared, although the Premier League side are expected to face competition from Spain.
Both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid remain interested and could rival Manchester United for Romero’s signature in the coming weeks.
Spurs are already lining up Jan Paul van Hecke as Romero’s replacement
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham will allow one of their talismen to join a direct Premier League rival.
In recent years, Spurs have seen several key players secure moves abroad and that could once again prove to be the case if Spanish clubs step up their interest in Romero.
Tottenham are, however, already preparing for the possibility of Romero’s departure. Spurs Web has reported on the Lilywhites’ continued pursuit of Jan Paul van Hecke.
The Dutchman is understood to have agreed personal terms with Spurs, while Tottenham continue negotiations with Brighton after seeing two bids rejected.
Romero and Van Hecke are similar stylistically, with both defenders comfortable on the ball and aggressive in the tackle, so it does feel like a natural replacement on paper.
| Percentiles | Passes cmp | Fwd pass% | Prog passes | Poss won | Def duel% | Aerial duel% | Prog carries | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. van Hecke 25/26 | 86.0 | 76.9 | 98.7 | 48.7 | 78.4 | 41.1 | 99.1 | 3583 |
| C. Romero 25/26 | 49.6 | 55.3 | 62.2 | 85.6 | 55.3 | 84.2 | 41.1 | 2059 |