Romero set to join Atlético Madrid as Tottenham agree £34m sale with sell-on clause

Atlético Madrid have agreed a deal in principle to sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur for a package worth around £34.2m (€40m) including add-ons, with Spurs retaining a 15 per cent sell-on clause on the 28-year-old Argentina international.

The agreement ends a transfer saga that had been running since last summer, when Atlético first emerged as serious admirers of the centre-back. Romero was believed to prefer a move to the Spanish club over other interested parties, with Inter Milan and north London rivals Arsenal also linked with the defender.

Romero made 124 appearances across five seasons at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, scoring 12 goals. His time in north London was not without controversy — he collected four Premier League red cards during his spell, including two dismissals last season as Spurs battled against relegation. He also missed the end of that campaign with a knee injury.

The final weeks of the season brought additional off-field scrutiny when Romero appeared set to attend his boyhood club Belgrano’s Argentine Primera División Apertura final against River Plate rather than Tottenham’s decisive last-day fixture against Everton. He ultimately did appear for Spurs in that game, in which the club secured Premier League survival.

Romero’s contract at Spurs ran until 2029, meaning Atlético have moved quickly to secure his signature before the new season takes hold. The sell-on clause ensures Tottenham retain a financial stake in any future transfer of the defender from the Wanda Metropolitano.