The transfer saga surrounding Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has taken a dramatic turn.
While Serie A giants Inter Milan appeared to be in pole position with talks centred around a €40m deal, Atletico Madrid have launched a bid to hijack the move, with the World Cup winner favouring a switch to the Spanish capital.
According to MARCA, Diego Simeone has long admired his fellow countryman, making Romero his primary defensive target this transfer window.
Los Colchoneros are eager to bring in a commanding leader at the heart of their defence, and Romero fits the bill.
Although Inter Milan moved swiftly to agree a fee with Tottenham, negotiations reportedly stalled over personal terms. This hesitation has allowed Atletico Madrid to step into the fray.
The Spanish side are already preparing an offer of around €30m for Romero, who has made it clear he would prefer to link up with Simeone in La Liga rather than return to Serie A, where he previously played for Genoa and Atalanta.
Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi has publicly acknowledged he will respect the defender’s wish for a new challenge away from London. Spurs have spent the summer preparing for a defensive transition, bringing in reinforcements such as Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi.
With Romero prioritising a move to the Metropolitano, Atletico are now putting together a formal transfer proposal to reach an agreement with Spurs.
Inter remain firmly in the race but now appear to have been overtaken as favourites to sign the 28-year-old defender.