Cristian Romero could be headed for the exit, with Atletico Madrid stepping up their efforts to sign the Argentine defender this summer.
According to Uriel Lugt, Atletico are planning to meet with Spurs in the coming days to negotiate a deal.
Spurs have already told Atletico that it would take at least €70 million (£59.5m) to sign Romero this summer.
The 27-year-old has made it clear that he wants to join Atletico, and the La Liga side have been quietly laying the groundwork for months.
However, they’re not willing to match Tottenham’s asking price. Romero has two years left on his contract and has repeatedly spoken about his desire to move to Spain.
Back in March, he reportedly told Tottenham he’d be willing to part ways if a suitable offer arrives.
For now, Spurs are focused on their Europa League charge, so any serious negotiation will have to wait until the end of the season.
Atletico are well-positioned to sign Romero, but only if Tottenham are flexible with their demands.
The World Cup-winning centre-back is believed to have held direct talks with Atletico manager Diego Simeone about a potential move.
He sees a move to Spain as a step forward and a natural fit for his combative style of play.
Romero checks all the boxes for Simeone. The Argentine manager sees his countryman as an ideal addition to strengthen a defence that has struggled with consistency this season.
But the major stumbling block is the transfer fee. Atletico are only willing to offer no more than €40m (£34m), which falls well short of Tottenham’s valuation.
Spurs want a bid that reflects Romero’s importance to the team.
Postecoglou has built his defence around the experienced defender, pairing him with the highly rated yet injury-prone Micky van de Ven.
The pair have formed a solid partnership at the heart of the Spurs backline but will likely be disrupted this summer with Van de Ven also attracting interest from Spain.