Manchester United dismiss Argentine reports linking them with Tottenham's Cristian Romero

Manchester United have no interest in signing Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, with club sources dismissing Argentine reports on Monday night that suggested an offer was being prepared for the 28-year-old.

The reports, which circulated in Argentina, claimed United were targeting Romero as a summer acquisition. United sources have described that suggestion as wide of the mark, and the defender does not feature on the club’s recruitment shortlist.

Romero has captained Spurs through back-to-back 17th-place Premier League finishes, with the club’s top-flight survival only secured this season under Roberto De Zerbi. The Argentine centre-back missed the final weeks of the campaign with a knee injury and drew public criticism after initially remaining in Argentina rather than returning to support his side, before travelling back to watch Spurs’ last game of the season.

His time at Tottenham has also been marked by disciplinary problems. Romero has been sent off six times in a Spurs shirt, including a straight red card against United at Old Trafford in February. Lisandro Martinez, United’s own Argentine defender, was suspended for three matches this season after being sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail during Leeds’ visit to Old Trafford — an incident that added to a difficult period in which he also missed time between February and March with a calf injury.

United’s summer focus lies elsewhere. The midfield is the primary area of investment, with a deal already agreed to sign Ederson from Atalanta. The left side of the squad is also under review, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall among the left-back options being assessed by the recruitment team, though Hall has three years remaining on his contract and manager Eddie Howe is reluctant to sell.

At centre-back, manager Michael Carrick has five senior options available in Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Ayden Heaven, leaving the position lower on the list of summer priorities.