ESPN Argentina: Deal agreed with Inter for Romero

Cristian Romero has been linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur since last season. Spurs’ captain struggled for form, fitness, and with his relationship with the fans through the 2025/26 campaign, and the feeling in some avenues coming out of the season was that maybe it was time for the center back to explore options elsewhere.

That appears to be accelerating now, with Leo Paradizo, an Argentinian journalist for Todo Noticias, reporting via ESPN Argentina that Spurs and Inter Milan have reached a verbal agreement on terms for a transfer:

Here’s a translation of the key parts:

The first thing we can confirm here is that Cuti Romero – although it was somewhat predictable – will not be staying at Tottenham…

…The second thing I’m in a position to confirm – and this is information checked firsthand today – is that there is a verbal agreement between Tottenham and Inter Milan…

…The agreement between Inter and Tottenham is for €40 millon.

That’s a pretty strong endorsement that this is happening – and for a bargain basement price.

In fact, the journalists discuss the fee, surprised at how low it is for a player of Romero’s calibre, the crazy amounts of money being thrown around in the transfer market this summer, and the fact that Spurs apparently valued him just last season at €60 million; but also referencing the fact that he did have a bit of a drop-off in form last season.

It’s a fee that both does and doesn’t make sense. Cuti is still a very good player; in fact, there’s an argument that even after Spurs’ investment in the defense this summer, he’s still the best center back on the books. He also signed a contract extension last summer that runs until 2029. Why would Spurs accept a nothing fee for him?

Wherein lies the problem: a player is only worth what someone else is willing to pay, and it appears clubs are not willing to pay for Romero. Tenuous links to Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have not materialized further, so in the absence of a bidding war there’s no reason for Inter to stump up a massive fee. Spurs have also arguably reduced their bargaining power by making their defensive signings early in the summer; with Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke now all on the books (and that’s without including Ben Davies, Jun’ai Byfield, and Malachi Hardy), there’s no room for a player of Romero’s status and wage unless Roberto De Zerbi opts for a change in formation which appears unlikely based on the tactics deployed in preseason.

Add to that fan frustration with his perceived allegiances to country over club, outcry over an international trip to support his childhood club during Spurs’ relegation battle that never actually happened, and exasperation with rash challenges leading to extended time on the sidelines, and it just seems like it’s time for all parties to move on.

Paradizo’s interview does go on, however, to indicate that Romero isn’t overly keen on Inter, and that even though Spurs and the Serie A club have agreed terms, Romero is yet to do so. That is perhaps in Spurs’ favor: if he issues a come-and-get-me to the likes of Atletico Madrid, there is potential for the aforementioned bidding war to still come to fruition.

Either way, it’s looking more and more likely Cristian Romero will no longer by a Tottenham Hotspur player this coming season; the only question still remaining is exactly where he ends up and how much Spurs are compensated for his services.