Cuti Romero in talks with Inter, then Atlético answered Simeone's wish | OneFootball

Just when everything seemed to be on track for Cristian Romero to return to Italian football, Atlético de Madrid entered the negotiations. The Colchoneros want to secure the services of the Argentine defender and would be willing to submit several offers to prevent his return to Serie A and convince him to move to LaLiga.

In recent days, it emerged that Inter Milan reached an agreement with Tottenham to acquire 100% of the World Cup winner’s rights for a fee close to 40 million euros. However, the deal is not yet fully sealed because the player and his representative have still not reached a contractual agreement. The main sticking point is the defender’s salary demands, as he wants to earn around six million euros per season. That delay opened a door that Atlético does not want to let slip by.

The Madrid side’s interest is nothing new. Cuti Romero is a specific request from Diego Simeone, who had already tried to sign him in the previous transfer window. At the time, Tottenham were asking for around 60 million euros, a figure that exceeded the Spanish club’s budget and ended any chance of an agreement.

Now the situation has changed. The Córdoba native’s market value has dropped, and the London club have also lowered their financial demands. In addition, the recent signing of Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for 60 million euros changed the picture. The defender plays in the same position as Romero, and his arrival has made the Spurs more open to negotiating the Argentine’s departure.

Given this opportunity, Atlético de Madrid are preparing an initial offer that would be in the region of 30 to 35 million euros for the defender’s transfer. Although the figure is still below Inter’s accepted proposal, Simeone’s side have a factor that could tip the balance.

According to Spanish media, Atlético’s main ally is Cuti Romero himself. The defender dreams of playing in the Spanish league and would be very open to the possibility of working under the Cholo, one of the most influential Argentine coaches in the world. In addition, the Madrid club could include a player in the deal.

Even so, time is on Inter’s side. The Italian club are ahead in talks with Tottenham and have made solid progress on the agreement between the clubs. The biggest obstacle remains the player’s contract, and that is where Atlético hopes to step in fully and try to change the course of a negotiation that until a few days ago seemed settled.

Meanwhile, Cuti Romero’s future remains open. Inter is still the most advanced destination, but Atlético de Madrid have renewed their push and have no intention of backing out of the race for one of the most sought-after Argentine defenders on the European market.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.