Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed a fee of £43 million with Atalanta to sign defender Cristian Romero this summer.
Spurs are on the hunt for a player to replace centre-back Toby Alderweireld, who joined Qatar side Al Duhail SC last month. Alderweireld, 32, spent six years at the White Hart Lane after arriving from Southampton, amassing 243 appearances across all competitions.
The Belgian international’s departure has left a huge void in Tottenham’s squad which new manager Nuno Espirito Santo is looking to address.
According to talkSPORT, Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to pay £43million, plus add-ons, for Cristian Romero. After his rock-solid performances in the Atalanta backline, the Argentinean international, 23, was named Serie A’s best defender for the 2020/21 season.
Romero made Serie A 31 appearances, scoring two goals and supplying three assists, and helping Gian Piero Gasperini’s side qualify for the Champions League for the third consecutive season.
Romero, currently midway through a two-year loan at Atalanta from Juventus, also played a vital role in Argentina’s Copa America triumph earlier this summer. He could become Tottenham’s third summer signing after the acquisitions of Pierluigi Gollini and Bryan Gil.
Cristian Romero to Tottenham Hotspur – Is he worth the money?
Tottenham were not defensively at their best last season, conceding 45 goals in 38 games. That was one of the chief reasons for them failing to qualify for the Champions League for the second year running.
Under former boss, Jose Mourinho, Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier started as a pair at the back. But they failed to keep things tight in defence, forcing Mourinho to chop and change things constantly.
Joe Rodon, last summer signing from Championship side Swansea City, didn’t get a lot of opportunities to showcase his talent. Davinson Sanchez has mistakes written in his game, while young Japhet Tanganga endured an injury-hit campaign.
With Alderweireld gone, and the likes of Dier and Sanchez not consistently proving themselves at the club, Tottenham need defensive reinforcements to challenge for the top four next season.
Thus, Spurs’ interest in signing Cristian Romero makes complete sense. Romero is an aggressive, no-nonsense defender who likes to nip in, make interceptions and quickly release the ball.
The 23-year old is a strong tackler and rarely gives opposition attackers time and space. The Argentine is good on the ball and possesses the ability to pick out passes in the attacking third of the pitch.
Last season, Romero was the lynchpin in Gasperini’s back-three system at Atalanta. Having enjoyed roaring success with a back-three system at Wolves, Nuno could go with the same system at Spurs. Should that happen, the Atalanta star certainly would face no problems adapting to it.
At 23, Romero is still young for a defender and far away from the finished article. So, he is only expected to get better with time and experience, and working under a wily tactician like Nuno could see him unlock his true potential. All in all, at a reported £43million, plus add-ons, the Argentinean international would be an excellent long-term investment for Spurs.
