Cristian Romero’s transfer talk has moved into a proper negotiation. Cristian Romero’s agent Ciro Palermo and entourage Vincent Casella were spotted in Milan for talks with Inter, and Inter director Piero Ausilio left German pre-season camp to attend the meeting. Tottenham are holding out for around €50m (£43m, $57m), while Barcelona can only stay in the picture if they create salary space and transfer income.
Inter’s push in Milan
The clearest sign that this has gone beyond loose interest is the setting. Inter are not just keeping tabs, they are trying to force the price down, and Sportitalia reported that they are confident Tottenham can be persuaded to accept €35m-40m. That is still a gap, but it is the kind of gap clubs work through when a deal is real enough to discuss structure rather than just admiration.
Inter are also looking at a loan with an obligation to buy, which fits the broader picture. They finished first in Serie A with 87 points, so the pitch to Romero is obvious enough: a move to a side that can sell itself as an immediate title challenger. Romero’s own numbers support the idea that he is arriving in strong shape, too. He has a 7.16 rating across 7 appearances and 627 minutes at the 2026 World Cup, followed by a 7.0 rating in his most recent outing over 99 minutes.
Tottenham’s price and the clubs waiting behind
Tottenham’s stance is still the key obstacle. TeamTalk put the club’s asking price at around €50m, and they are under no pressure to take the first offer that comes in. Romero has 156 appearances and 13 goals in five seasons for Tottenham, so this is not a case of a short-term squad player being moved on cheaply.
Barcelona remain interested, but they cannot push ahead without generating space first. Atlético Madrid have tracked Romero for several seasons as well, so Inter are not alone in the race. Even so, they look best placed because they are already in the room and actively testing Tottenham’s valuation.
Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, which is part of the backdrop to why a sale is even being discussed at this level. The market is now waiting on whether Spurs blink on fee or structure, and the next round of talks should tell us whether Inter can turn their Milan meeting into something firmer.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
