"I'm leaving too." Can the key defender of Tottenham escape to La Liga alone, leaving Son Heung-min behind?

Matteo Moreto, a reporter for Spanish media outlet Relevo, reported on the 25th (Korea time) that "Atletico is pursuing reinforcement for the central defense. The player Diego Simeone most wants is Christian Romero from Tottenham," adding, "The Atletico club has already talked with Romero's associates."

Romero joined Tottenham on loan from Atalanta in 2021 and made a permanent move after a year. Since then, he has consistently played a key role in the defense and is serving as one of the vice-captains this season, alongside Son Heung-min and James Maddison. With his speed and aggressive defense, he has earned the trust of manager Ange Postecoglou.

However, there have been several instances where frequent ejections and rough play have burdened the team. Nevertheless, Romero is considered one of the top defenders in the Premier League.

Tottenham strongly hopes for Romero's retention. However, his current contract runs until the summer of 2027, and if contract negotiations are delayed, Tottenham may pivot toward selling him.

According to "Give Me Sport," Tottenham has presented Romero with top-level contract renewal terms within the team. Currently, Son Heung-min is the highest-paid player with a weekly salary of £190,000 (about 360 million won), while Romero is reported to earn £165,000 (about 310 million won) per week. Tottenham has been trying to persuade by narrowing this gap.

Romero has shown no clear response to these conditions. "Spurs Web" reported, "Romero has yet to make a decision. The uncertainty of Tottenham's participation in next season's UEFA Champions League is a factor."

Tottenham's current league ranking is 14th. The possibility of qualifying for the Champions League next season appears slim.

To qualify for the Champions League, winning the Europa League this season is essentially the only hope, but fierce competition against strong teams like Manchester United, Frankfurt, and Athletic Club makes it difficult to guarantee victory.

'Spurs Web' stated, "If Romero does not reach an agreement on a contract renewal before the end of the season, Tottenham plans to let him go during the summer transfer window. If a multi-year contract seems challenging, they will aim for maximum transfer revenue," adding, "Tottenham expects over £60 million (about 114.1 billion won) for Romero's transfer fee." However, the media speculated that it remains uncertain whether Real Madrid would accept this amount.

Recently, Romero has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Tottenham's medical staff. After the national team call-up, he publicly targeted Tottenham's medical personnel in an interview with Argentina's "TyC Sports" on the 24th, stating, "I have had a very tough time mentally due to not being able to play for a long time. In fact, a return was possible sooner, but there were no actions taken."

He continued, "The medical staff from the Argentina national team saved me during that difficult time and allowed me to get back on the field again," expressing, "I will be grateful to them for a lifetime," leaving a markedly different evaluation than that of Tottenham's medical staff.

After suffering a toe injury in November 2023, Romero played his comeback match in December, but during that match against Chelsea, he re-injured his thigh just 15 minutes into the game and was sidelined again. He did not step on the pitch for about three months, and his official return was on March 10 against Bournemouth.

Despite this long absence, shortly after his return, he was called up for national duty and immediately joined the Argentina national team, which led to some Tottenham fans criticizing him for prioritizing national team duties over club commitments. Although he was not in perfect condition at that time, Romero performed well, playing the full match against Uruguay.

British media outlets 'TBR Football,' 'Last Word on Spurs,' and 'TeamTalk' recently reported that Romero has continuously expressed strong dissatisfaction with Tottenham’s treatment and recovery program. He stated, "For me, football is the center of my life, and I sincerely want to thank the physiotherapists of the national team who allowed me to get back on the field," repeatedly emphasizing his trust and gratitude toward the Argentina medical team.

In this context, Atletico has sent a love call to Romero. Moreto noted, "Atletico has been carefully engaging in discussions with Romero's associates over the past few weeks. They have not yet officially started negotiations with Tottenham," adding, "Simeone believes Romero is an optimized resource for his defensive tactics."

"Romero is still one of the best defenders in the world. Especially being from Argentina could have a positive impact on his compatibility with Coach Simeone," he added, "The issue is the transfer fee. Atletico will need to present a sufficient transfer fee for it to be possible."

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