Tottenham stand firm on £60m Cristian Romero price tag despite Atletico Madrid pressure

Tottenham Refuse to Lower £60m Valuation of Cristian Romero Amid Atletico Madrid Pursuit

Tottenham Hotspur are standing firm in their stance over Cristian Romero’s future, refusing to reduce their £60 million asking price for the Argentine centre-back despite growing pressure from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. The La Liga club have publicly expressed their interest in signing the 27-year-old, but Spurs are determined not to be strong-armed into a deal on terms that don’t meet their expectations.

According to The Telegraph, the north London club considers Romero a cornerstone of their defence and is adamant that he will only be allowed to leave if their full valuation is met. The defender was instrumental in Tottenham’s impressive UEFA Europa League-winning campaign last season, putting in a commanding performance in the final against Manchester United and being named Player of the Match. His leadership and aggression at the back were key in Spurs lifting European silverware under former manager Ange Postecoglou.

While Romero has made no secret of his admiration for Spanish football and has previously spoken about his desire to play in La Liga, Tottenham are under no pressure to sell. The Argentina international still has two years remaining on his current contract, which puts the Premier League side in a strong negotiating position. Complicating matters further is Romero’s reported frustration with the club hierarchy, particularly over the decision to sack Postecoglou, who was replaced by former Brentford boss Thomas Frank.

Despite these off-pitch tensions and Romero’s own openness to a move abroad, Spurs are not prepared to compromise. Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone is believed to be a big admirer of the World Cup-winning centre-back and sees him as a potential long-term anchor for his defensive line, but unless Atletico are willing to match Tottenham’s valuation, any transfer looks unlikely to progress.

Romero’s 2024–25 season was marred by injury, limiting him to just 26 appearances across all competitions. Tottenham’s defensive issues were exacerbated by injuries to fellow centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin, which forced the club to deploy makeshift defenders such as Ben Davies and youngster Archie Gray in central roles. This contributed to a disastrous league campaign, where Spurs narrowly avoided relegation, finishing in 17th place.

So far this summer, Tottenham have begun reinforcing their squad with decisive moves in the transfer market. The club have already made permanent the January loan deals for Austrian defender Kevin Danso and forward Mathys Tel, while also preparing to welcome Japanese teenager Kota Takai as part of their long-term defensive rebuild.

Nevertheless, keeping hold of Romero remains a top priority for Spurs—both from a sporting and symbolic perspective. As they look to bounce back from a challenging domestic season, Tottenham know they cannot afford to lose another experienced defensive leader unless the price is absolutely right.