Cristian Romero's move has stopped looking like a straight Inter deal. Inter have agreed a fee of around €40m with Tottenham, with personal terms worth roughly €5.5m a year, but the move cannot be completed until Benjamin Pavard is moved on. Atletico Madrid have now entered with their own bid, and one source says Romero would prefer Spain.

Inter's stalled deal

The first version of this transfer was simple enough. Inter had their fee in place, Tottenham had a player who clearly wanted out, and the deal looked like one that could move once the paperwork and exits lined up.

The problem is the exit chain. Inter still need to offload Pavard before they can finish the move, and that leaves Romero in limbo while another club works the angle from the side.

Inter's position in Serie A, where they are 8th, makes the delay feel more awkward. They are still in the market for defensive reinforcement, but they are not the only club with a serious need or a serious budget.

Atletico Madrid's opening

Atletico are prepared to spend more than €30m after sales of Nahuel Molina to Roma and Matteo Ruggeri to Aston Villa. They are also 2nd in La Liga, which makes the pitch on footballing terms a pretty strong one.

That is before you get to the preference issue. BBC Sport reported that Romero would not object to a move to Milan, but would prefer Diego Simeone's Atletico over Inter. That does not end the race, but it gives Atletico a real chance to turn a rival bid into the decisive one.

Romero's own numbers help explain why both clubs are pushing. He has a 7.16 season rating across 7 appearances and 627 minutes, plus a recent run that includes a 7.9-rated match and a goal. Tottenham's 17th-place finish last season also explains why the market is active around him in the first place.

The likely outcome still depends on exits and competing offers, not just interest. For now, Inter have the agreed fee, Atletico have the preference edge, and Tottenham are waiting to see whether Pavard goes first.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →