According to The Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur are unwilling to meet Atalanta’s €55m (£47m) asking price for Cristian Romero this summer.
The Argentine defender is reportedly Spurs’ top defensive target in this window, and he’s apparently already agreed personal terms with the London club.
Of course, this is Tottenham Hotspur, transfers are never a straightforward affair for the London club, and it seems as though this saga will be no different.
Indeed, in a piece co-written by Fabrizio Romano, The Guardian report that Spurs will not pay the asking price Atalanta have set for their star man.
Does this mean the deal is dead in the water? Not necessarily.
Fabio Paratici is a master negotiator, so don’t be surprised if he somehow finds a way to convince Atalanta to lower his asking price, while he could also offer a part-exchange deal, a move we’ve already seen Spurs utilise once this summer with their failed pursuit of Jules Kounde.
Romero is reportedly Tottenham’s number one centre-back target, so they’re unlikely to give up on this one without a fight, but they have come up with a plan B if they can’t get this one over the line, with Kurt Zouma, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Nikola Milenkovic being eyed as alternatives.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
