Cristian Romero’s name has dominated the backpages in what has been a turbulent few weeks for everyone associated with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Argentine defender was sent off in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United, which proved to be his last contribution under Thomas Frank as the Dane was dismissed a week later following their dismal 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United.
Spurs are now 16th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation zone.
And now, with Igor Tudor joining the club on an interim basis, Romero will undoubtedly take centre stage between now and the end of the season to secure the club’s Premier League status.
However, in the summer, reports suggest he could be on the move, with Atletico Madrid looking to price him away.
Cristian Romero interested in Atletico Madrid move
Romero played a central role in the club’s UEFA Europa League triumph last season and signed a new deal at the club, which was a sign that his long-term future would be in North London.
However, things have quickly gone downhill for the Argentine. Romero has been vocal about Tottenham’s struggles this season and is frustrated by the club’s lack of progress this season, with the club languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Football Insider report that Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Romero, with Diego Simeone looking to reinforce his rearguard in the summer.
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The 27-year-old is believed to be interested in making the move, but despite his recent form and his comments, Tottenham are not interested in selling him as they believe he is central to their long-term prospects.
Playing in Europe is believed to be a priority for Romero. And while that looks like a pipe dream at this point in time for Tottenham, Atletico could likely offer him UEFA Champions League football and the chance to play under Simeone, who has worked his magic with several central defenders over the course of his decorated career at the Spanish capital.
New manager could decide Romero’s Tottenham fate
Romero is clearly not against a transfer in the summer, but a decision on his future is unlikely to be made until after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 27-year-old is set to start at the heart of the Argentina backline in the summer alongside Lisandro Martinez as Lionel Scaloni’s side go into the tournament as the defending champions.
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After his international commitments, Romero’s future is set to emerge as a major talking point once again. In such a scenario, Spurs’ new permanent manager could have a say in whether or not he remains at the club.
Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto de Zerbi are leading candidates for Tottenham, while the likes of Marco Rose, Edin Terzic and Andoni Iraola have also been mentioned as potential candidates.
In the meantime, though, Romero will look to find his form again under Tudor, who has his work cut out for him to make Tottenham competitive again.
He will have to wait a while to make his debut under the Croatian, though, as he still has a three-game suspension to serve before returning to action.
