Inter Milan Targets Tottenham's Cristian Romero for Summer Transfer
Inter Milan have set their sights on Tottenham captain Cristian Romero as they hunt a new centre-back this summer, with the Argentina defender emerging as one of the most ambitious – and complicated – options on their list.
Sky in Italy report that Inter are keen on Romero, but any deal for the 28-year-old would be financially intricate for the Italian champions. Romero is under contract at Spurs until 2029, and prising a captain and first-choice defender away from the Premier League rarely comes cheap.
There is, though, a growing expectation that Tottenham would consider a sale if a suitable offer lands on the table. Not a bargain. The right offer.
Inter’s Defensive Rebuild
Inter’s need is clear. They want a central defender and are working through a shortlist headed by Romero and John Stones. Stones, now a free agent after leaving Manchester City, has interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, giving Inter a potentially more straightforward, cost-effective option if the Romero pursuit proves too complex.
Romero’s situation is layered. He missed the end of last season with a knee injury and found himself under fire from some Spurs supporters when it appeared he was preparing to watch his boyhood club Belgrano face River Plate in the Argentina Primera Division Apertura final instead of attending Tottenham’s decisive final-day fixture at Everton.
He did, in the end, attend that game as Spurs secured Premier League survival, but the episode underlined the tension around a player who has walked the disciplinary tightrope in England. Across five seasons at Tottenham, Romero has made 124 appearances, scored 12 goals and been sent off four times in the Premier League. A leader, a warrior, but rarely a quiet presence.
Inter’s interest does not stop at the heart of the defence. They are also in the market for a full-back, and Romero’s club-mate Djed Spence has been among their options. That move, though, has cooled. Spence remains on their list, yet the drive behind a deal has faded, with Monaco’s Vanderson and Feyenoord’s Givairo Read now standing alongside him as alternative targets.
De Zerbi Wants Firepower to Match Spending Spree
While Inter weigh up how far to push for Romero, Roberto De Zerbi is still building his Tottenham. And he is not shy about what comes next.
After a staggering £237m outlay on six signings, De Zerbi insists Spurs still need two more forwards before he is satisfied with his attacking options.
The club have already shattered their transfer record by paying £100m for Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, added £85m midfielder Mateus Fernandes and spent £52m on defender Jan Paul van Hecke. On top of that, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have arrived on free transfers, giving the squad a very different look.
De Zerbi’s message remains blunt.
“The target now is to complete the attacking positions,” he said. “We want the first target, the first level, because anyway we are already important players, but I think to start the new project we need another couple of important players, for sure.”
He doubled down on that theme, stressing the work is far from finished in this window.
“It’s not finished yet, our transfer market window. We have to finish, we have to bring another couple of, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players.”
Tottenham have spent big. De Zerbi wants the front line to look like it.
Juventus Circle Vicario as Keeper Market Shifts
While one Italian giant eyes Spurs’ captain, another is assessing their goalkeeper.
Juventus are again considering Guglielmo Vicario as an alternative to their top target Emi Martinez, according to Sky in Italy. The Turin club have also started work on a potential deal for Parma’s Zion Suzuki, with a gap in valuation still to bridge but not yet large enough to kill the move.
Juve plan to revisit their interest in Vicario to see if they can structure a deal on terms that suit them. The Italian goalkeeper is expected to leave Tottenham this summer and has not travelled on their pre-season tour, officially due to a minor injury.
De Zerbi confirmed the situation in his press conference.
“Vicario is injured, not a big injury, but he needs to stay one week in London,” he said.
For Juventus, that pause offers time. For Spurs, it underlines how many key positions could change hands before the season starts.
Bergvall at a Crossroads
Lucas Bergvall is another name on De Zerbi’s crowded agenda. The Sweden midfielder wants out this summer, with Nottingham Forest still in the race and Newcastle having already discussed figures with Spurs.
Sky Sports News understands Bergvall is determined to move, yet there has been no concerted attempt from Tottenham to persuade him to stay, even as club sources insist they do not want to sell.
De Zerbi has made one principle crystal clear: he only wants players who actually want to be at Spurs.
Asked about Bergvall and whether his inclusion in the pre-season squad hinted at a resolution, De Zerbi was calm but firm.
“I have not spoken with Lucas yet. I will in the next days and we will make the best decision for the club, for Lucas, for me, for every one of us. Without problems, Lucas is a big, big talent.
“There will be a big competition to play because at the end, I think we will be two players for each position. If he wants to stay, I will be happy. Otherwise, we have to find a new solution with Johan Lange, with Vinai. It’s not my business after the decision to leave.”
For Bergvall, the choice is stark: fight for a place in a deepening squad or push for a fresh start elsewhere.
Kudus Closing in on Return
Amid the noise of transfers and potential exits, De Zerbi did offer some straightforward good news.
Mohammed Kudus, sidelined with a muscle issue since early January, is “very close” to returning.
“Kudus is very close,” De Zerbi said. “I think when we come back to London he will be available to start working with us. It’s a great thing for us. Kudus is another important player.”
The head coach also reiterated Vicario’s short-term absence and struck a cautious note over Dejan Kulusevski.
“Vicario is injured, not a big injury, but he needs to stay one week in London,” he repeated.
“Kulusevski, we have to see in the next couple of weeks. He’s another important player. After one season, one complete season, without a game, we have to analyse better and better, don’t take risks, first of all for him and then for us.”
Spurs stand at a delicate point in their rebuild: a captain coveted by Inter, a goalkeeper wanted by Juventus, a talented youngster eyeing the exit, and a manager demanding elite attackers to crown a record-breaking window.
The question now is not whether change is coming at Tottenham – it already has – but how many more pillars of this squad will move before De Zerbi’s new project finally takes shape.
