“The truth is…” – Romero on ‘respect and affection’ for Tottenham as he’s transfer-quizzed
by Naveen Ullal · Sport WitnessTottenham Hotspur star Cristian Romero isn’t closing the door on a move away from the Premier League side in the summer.
Atlético Madrid showed serious interest in the Argentina international last summer, at a time when Diego Simeone publicly expressed his own interest.
The La Liga side made an official approach, but Tottenham refused to negotiate. Instead, the north London club ended up renewing his contract in August 2025.
Romero’s decision to sign an extension hasn’t worked out well as Spurs have struggled this season. Their poor run resulted in Thomas Frank’s exit in February and Tottenham appointed Igor Tudor as their manager until the end of this season.
The English club are now 16th in the table, a point above 18th placed West Ham United.
On Wednesday, they secured a 3-2 win over Atlético in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie at home. This is their first win under Tudor and Spurs performed better than their opponent. Below are the stats [Tottenham first] from yesterday’s match.
| Match Stats | Spurs | Atleti |
|---|---|---|
| Total shots | 15 | 17 |
| Shots on target | 10 | 7 |
| Passes | 414 | 408 |
| Pass accuracy | 87% | 83% |
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
Despite yesterday’s result, Spurs lost the two-legged tie 7-5 on aggregate and are out of Europe.
Cristian Romero responds to Atlético links
After the match in London, Cristian Romero spoke to reporters in the mixed zone and Olé have relayed his comments.
When asked about the Madrid club rumours, the player insisted he wants to finish the season in the ‘best way possible’.
“The truth is, I’m focused on the situation we’re in. I have a lot of respect and affection for the club, and I want to finish the season in the best way possible,” he said.
However, the 27-year-old didn’t close the door on a move away from Tottenham after this season.
“We’ll see later, but the most important thing now is to recharge,” Romero explained.
In the pre-match press conference, Simeone admitted he admires the Premier League side’s defender and TyC Sports relayed his comments.
“As an Argentine fan, I admire his personality, his playing style, and his defensive work. As an Argentine fan who has seen more of his matches than Tottenham’s, I am a great admirer of his,” he added.
What next for Romero and Tottenham
The Argentina international has a contract until 2029, and Transfermarkt value him at €60m.
Tottenham’s Champions League exit rules out qualifying for the Europe next season. They are currently 19 points behind sixth placed Chelsea.
Sport Witness recently covered claims Cristian Romero will leave Spurs after this season. This, coupled with his latest comments indicate an exit could be on the cards.