Cristian Romero is on the verge of a move to Atlético Madrid, after the Argentine defender agreed to wear the Rojiblancos shirt and reached an agreement with the club on personal terms.
Atlético continues its negotiations with Tottenham to close the deal, submitting a new offer expected to reach around €40 million. Some details regarding bonuses and payment methods remain before a final agreement is reached between the two clubs.
Romero strongly desired a move to Barcelona and gave the Catalan club priority despite interest from Atlético, Inter, and Arsenal. However, he did not receive the green light from Hansi Flick, leading him to accept Diego Simeone’s project instead.
According to Spanish reports, Flick rejected signing the World Cup winner due to a desire to protect dressing room stability following the tension of the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina players. Additionally, he prefers a calmer left-footed defender for positioning and build-up play, with a salary that fits the club’s financial situation.
Barcelona is searching for a replacement for Ronald Araujo, who moved on loan to Liverpool, but with a different profile than the Uruguayan defender and Romero. Flick wants an experienced, left-footed center-back who fits a high defensive line and a possession-based style of play.
Aymeric Laporte and Jon Martín stand out among the proposed options. The team currently has Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Eric García, and Gerard Martín, with the possibility of not making a new signing if Flick is convinced by the existing solutions.
The 28-year-old Romero began his career with Belgrano before moving to Genoa, then Juventus and Atalanta, and from there to Tottenham in 2021, where he became team captain. He also won the 2022 World Cup and two Copa América titles with Argentina.
