Cristian Romero Leaves Tottenham for £34.2m Atletico Madrid Transfer
Tottenham’s summer took a dramatic twist on Saturday morning as the club confirmed captain Cristian Romero has completed a £34.2million switch to Atletico Madrid, leaving Roberto De Zerbi searching for a new leader at the heart of his defence.
Spurs made the announcement with a short but pointed statement, underlining just how central the Argentine had been to their recent revival.
“We have reached agreement with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Cristian Romero,” the club said.
Romero, signed from Atalanta in 2021, grew into a dominant figure in north London. Nicknamed “Cuti”, he was a driving force in Spurs’ UEFA Europa League triumph in 2024/25 and was handed the armband for the 2025/26 campaign. He made 32 appearances in all competitions last season, taking his total to 156 in Tottenham colours.
The farewell was brisk but respectful.
“We wish Cuti all the best for the future,” the statement concluded.
A second defensive exit is already lining up behind him. Spurs are braced to confirm Djed Spence’s departure after the defender was pictured in Milan ahead of a medical with Inter, who agreed a deal earlier in the week worth around £25.6m.
Italian outlet Gazzetta reported that Spence has passed his medical and signed a contract running until 2031. He is expected to return briefly to London to finalise work permit procedures before linking up fully with the Serie A champions.
Two defenders out, and the dominoes are about to fall at the other end of the pitch.
With Romero gone and Spence on his way, Tottenham are expected to accelerate plans to strengthen their attack. The club have been linked with moves for Folarin Balogun, Cody Gakpo and Savinho as they look to add cutting edge in the final third.
Savinho, though, has had a disrupted build-up to the weekend. The Brazilian winger was absent on Thursday as his current team continued preparations for Sunday’s Community Shield clash with Arsenal in Cardiff, prompting questions over his condition and, inevitably, his future.
Initial reports suggested illness, and that was confirmed by City boss Enzo Maresca at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“Yesterday he was not part of the session,” Maresca said. “He was a bit ill.
“We’ll see today, the session is in the afternoon, we’ll see how it is and we’ll decide.”
The explanation was simple enough, but the timing is impossible to ignore. Tottenham have been working on a deal for Savinho throughout the summer, identifying him as a key attacking target as they reshape the squad under De Zerbi.
Romero out, Spence almost gone, a forward line in need of fresh spark and a captain’s armband suddenly without an owner. Spurs’ summer, already busy, has just entered a far more delicate phase.
