Paul Scholes has turned Cristian Romero's near-finished Atletico Madrid move into a Manchester United talking point. The former United midfielder called the Tottenham defender an "absolute clown", but still said he would like to see him at Old Trafford.

Scholes's pitch for United

Scholes's line was blunt, but it was not a straight dismissal. He told mirror.co.uk: "This is one you might laugh at. [United should sign] Cristian Romero from Tottenham. I know it might sound stupid, but I just think... I like him. I think he's a nutcase. He's a very good defender that does some stupid things. He is an absolute clown. But I think if someone could get hold of him, like Michael Carrick, who is very calm and relaxed, he might be able to help him. He seems like a bit of a cult hero defender, really. I know it might sound strange, but I think the fans at Old Trafford would like him."

That is a fair summary of Romero's appeal. He has made over 150 appearances for Tottenham, and has added 13 goals and 7 assists from centre-back. Scholes's point is not that Romero is flawless, it is that the upside is obvious enough to tempt a club that needs more bite at the back.

Atletico Madrid are still leading the race

The United angle is only Scholes's opinion. The move that looks closest remains Atletico Madrid's. Luca Bendoni told caughtoffside.com that Atletico and Tottenham are "closing in on a fee for Cuti Romero", with "parties in talks and making progress" and "crucial hours ahead".

One report says Atletico are working towards sealing the deal this midweek so Romero could arrive in Madrid by Wednesday or Thursday. Other reporting places the fee around €40 million, while another source says around €47 million. The detail is not settled yet, and no green light has been given.

The destination picture is also not completely clean. Reporting has linked Barcelona and Arsenal, but the stronger line is that Romero has thanked both clubs and is focused on Atletico Madrid. That is where the momentum sits, even with the last stretch still unresolved.

The discipline issue Scholes is happy to live with

The risk is obvious too. Ben Knapton said he would not take Romero at Arsenal and pointed to "so many more red flags than green flags". His case rested on the defender's two red cards and 11 yellow cards in the Premier League last season, with the red cards joint-most in the league.

That is the part of the story Scholes brushed aside. He is not pretending Romero is tidy. He is backing a defender with a real edge, the kind of player who can swing from liability to cult favourite depending on how much control a manager can impose.

Romero's profile helps explain why the debate keeps growing. He has 7 World Cup appearances and a recent average rating of 7.16 at the tournament, so this is not a case of a random name being pushed around the market. The argument is whether a club wants the chaos that comes with him.

For now, Atletico remain closest, United remain hypothetical, and the deal still needs the final agreement. Scholes has simply made sure Romero's name now belongs in a separate conversation at Old Trafford, and that one is likely to run until the move is either finished or ruled out.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 7 outlets. How we work →