Atletico Madrid confident of signing Tottenham defender Cristian Romero

Atletico Madrid believe they can complete the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero in the coming days, with negotiations for the Argentina international now at an advanced stage.

The proposed transfer has been driven by Atletico manager Diego Simeone, who is understood to have made Romero his priority as he looks to strengthen a defence that lacked its usual resilience last season.

Journalist Pedro Fullana reported on the El Larguero programme that Simeone made a direct request for the club to pursue his fellow Argentine. The Atletico manager is keen to bring Romero to the Spanish capital and believes the defender can help restore the defensive solidity that has been missing from the team.

Talks had been affected by uncertainty from Tottenham’s side during the past few weeks, but there has been significant progress in the last few hours. Atletico now have confidence that an agreement can be reached for less than €40m before the end of the coming days.

The Spanish club are also working to generate the funds required for the deal through a number of expected departures. Atletico are waiting to receive about €20m from the sale of Nahuel Molina, while a further €20m is anticipated from Matteo Ruggeri’s transfer.

The club also expect to raise €10m from Thiago Almada’s move to River Plate. Those sales would help Atletico provide the financial resources needed to complete their pursuit of Romero.

Romero is also attempting to make the transfer happen. The defender has made clear his desire to wear Atletico’s red-and-white shirt next season and has declined to consider other offers while waiting for the two clubs to reach an agreement.

The 27-year-old joined Tottenham from Atalanta in 2022 after initially spending the 2021-22 season on loan at the north London club. He has since become an important member of Tottenham’s defence and remains under contract with the Premier League side.

Atletico’s interest reflects Simeone’s determination to reinforce the back line with a defender he knows well from Argentina’s national team set-up. The manager’s recommendation has proved central to the negotiations, with the club now optimistic that the remaining details can be resolved.

However, the transfer is not yet complete. Tottenham’s earlier hesitation had slowed the discussions, and the two clubs still need to finalise the agreement. Atletico’s confidence has nevertheless increased following the recent movement in talks, while Romero’s preference for the move has helped strengthen the Spanish club’s position.

A deal worth less than €40m would make Romero one of Atletico’s major additions of the current summer transfer window. For now, the club are awaiting the proceeds from their planned sales and continuing negotiations with Tottenham as they attempt to secure Simeone’s preferred defensive target.