A €40 million agreement is in place for Cristian Romero, but the move is not finished. Tottenham and Inter have settled the fee, yet Romero has still not finalised personal terms, and reports continue to suggest a La Liga preference could complicate the exit.

Tottenham's agreement with Inter

Romero has spent five seasons with Tottenham, which makes this a significant sale even before the paperwork is completed. He was made club captain by Thomas Frank a year ago after Son Heung-min's departure, so this is not just another squad move. It is the sale of a senior defender who has been central to the team’s recent planning.

His numbers this season also point to a player still operating at a high level. Romero’s 7.16 rating across 7 appearances and 627 minutes in the 2026 World Cup sample suggests Inter are not buying a defender on the decline. His most recent outing also produced a 7 rating and 99 minutes, so there is no obvious sign that his level has dropped right before the transfer talk.

The talks that still need finishing

The deal remains unfinished because personal terms are still being negotiated. That leaves the move in an awkward place for Tottenham, who have agreed the fee, and for Inter, who still need the player to commit before anything can be treated as done.

Roberto De Zerbi put the situation plainly to goal.com: "After the semi-final [against England] we text a message, but I never called him to convince him to stay. I respected what he told me. Like for [Guglielmo] Vicario, like for every player. Romero as a player is one of the best centre-backs in the world, but at the end I said I want to respect the will of the players." He also rejected claims that Romero wanted to leave for Argentina to prepare for the World Cup.

The La Liga angle is still live too. It has not been confirmed, but it is part of why this story has not closed yet. Inter have the fee agreed, Tottenham are prepared to sell, and Romero’s next step is still being decided while Barcelona and Real Madrid remain part of the wider picture.

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