Cristian Romero, who was also pursued by Cristi Chivu for Inter, will be joining Atletico Madrid next season. The Madrid club has finalized an agreement with him and reached a deal with Tottenham on Wednesday evening.
The transfer agreement between Atletico and Tottenham is valued at approximately €40 million, consisting of a fixed fee of €35 million plus potential bonuses of up to €5 million.
Cristian Romero Expected in Madrid Today
According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, barring any last-minute developments, Cristian “Cuti” Romero is expected to travel to Madrid today for a medical examination prior to signing his contract.
The 2022 World Champion was a primary target for Atletico Madrid last season as well, but Tottenham’s financial demands forced the club to withdraw from the bidding.
A year later, Romero’s wish is finally being fulfilled as he has always prioritized Atletico’s offer over those from other major European clubs, as noted by Marca.
Inter Failed to Meet Cristian Romero’s Financial Demands
This includes Inter Milan, where Cristi Chivu is coaching. The Italian champions had reached an agreement with Tottenham for a transfer fee of €40 million but failed to negotiate successfully with the Argentine center-back.
In order to meet Romero’s financial demands, Inter needed to offload at least one player from their payroll, but they were unable to do so in time. Ultimately, for Romero, Inter turned out to be only a backup option, as he preferred to play under compatriot Diego Simeone.
Marca: “Cristian Romero Could Convince Julian Alvarez to Stay”
Marca reports that Romero’s arrival could not only strengthen the team’s defense but also help normalize relations between Atletico and his compatriot Julian Alvarez. Teammates on the Argentine national team, Romero and Alvarez are good friends. “Cuti has a significant influence on Julian, and the club hopes he will convince him to stay,” Marca recently stated.
Alvarez is insisting on a move to Barcelona, but Atletico has firmly opposed this. The Madrid club has already rejected an offer from the Spanish champions, valued at €100 million, and emphasized that the Argentine is under contract until 2030 with a release clause of €500 million!
