La Liga club preparing ‘formal offer’ for Tottenham star who wants to ‘quit’ this summer
Tottenham Hotspur came through the winter transfer window in a far from convincing position, with January ultimately shaping up to be a disappointing and potentially damaging period for the club. While Spurs did manage to secure the signing of Conor Gallagher in a £34 million deal, the overall business failed to address several glaring issues in Thomas Frank’s squad, particularly in areas where depth and quality were urgently required.
The problems were only compounded by a series of outgoing moves and untimely injuries. Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace, thinning Spurs’ attacking options even further, before Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison were both sidelined with injuries expected to keep them out for at least two months. Despite these setbacks, Tottenham failed to bring in a replacement forward, leaving Frank short of firepower during a crucial phase of the season. As a result, the Dane has been left with limited choices in the final third, with Dejan Kulusevski’s impending return offering only a small glimmer of relief rather than a full solution.
Defensively, Spurs have also been stretched. Ben Davies is ruled out until April after suffering a broken ankle, further depleting options at the back. Radu Dragusin has returned to action, despite persistent links with a move back to Italy, which at least provides some cover. However, the bigger story lies in what did not happen during the window. Tottenham managed to retain their first-choice centre-back pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, despite reported interest in both players, but that stability may only be temporary.
Both van de Ven and Romero are widely viewed as defenders capable of operating at the very highest level and challenging for major honours. If Spurs fail to show clear progress or present a convincing long-term project, the pair could begin to question their futures in North London. The upcoming summer transfer window could therefore prove pivotal, with Tottenham potentially facing serious pressure to keep hold of their defensive leaders.
Romero, in particular, appears most likely to move first. According to South American journalist Gaston Edul, the Argentine international is expected to leave Tottenham this summer. Reports suggest that he has already attracted interest from La Liga, with one unnamed club said to be close to making a formal approach. There is also claimed to be concrete interest from another major European league, highlighting the growing list of suitors monitoring his situation.
The links are hardly surprising given Romero’s own comments in the past. The World Cup winner has openly admitted that playing in Spain is an ambition of his, previously stating: “La Liga is left for me to play in, I would love to, to tell you the truth. I would love to play there because it’s the league I’m missing.” Those remarks have only intensified speculation that a move could finally materialise this summer.
Adding further weight to the rumours is Romero’s outspoken criticism of Tottenham’s squad management this season. Earlier in the campaign, the defender voiced his frustration following a match in which injuries left Spurs desperately short of options. “Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were incredible,” Romero said. “I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available – unbelievable but true and disgraceful.”
He went on to stress the players’ commitment despite the circumstances, adding: “We’ll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”
Those comments, combined with Tottenham’s underwhelming January business, have only added to the sense that a crucial summer lies ahead. If Spurs cannot back Thomas Frank properly and show genuine ambition in the transfer market, they may find it increasingly difficult to convince their top players that North London is the right place for their future.