Reports have emerged on Friday that Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has rejected the chance to join Tottenham this summer – despite once telling Cristian Romero he would “go to war” with the Tottenham defender.
De Paul, 28, joined Atletico Madrid last summer from Udinese after starring for the Serie A side. Leaving the Italian outfit as club captain after 70 goal involvements in 184 games, he has since impressed under Diego Simeone.
One of the mainstays of Simeone’s Atletico side, De Paul clocked up 48 appearances during 2021-22. But it appears that there is still interest in his services. TMW say he has rejected Tottenham and Fiorentina.
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That is, despite being a close friend of both Gio Lo Celso and Romero. Speaking after an incident between Brazil and Argentina at the Copa America, De Paul told Romero on Instagram “I go to war with you”.
De Paul has rejected Tottenham despite telling Romero ‘I go to war with you’
It is an interesting one. A rumour that has come out of nowhere. De Paul is one of La Liga’s best central midfielders and clearly, Romero would love to have him at Spurs. Lo Celso would too, but Lo Celso is likely to leave himself.
Tottenham have brought in Yves Bissouma and look well-stocked in the middle of the park. But a move for De Paul would have been a brilliant one – a player that is in his prime, defensively good but technically unbelievable.
Bought for £30million (GOAL) but with four years remaining on his contract, it is likely that he might have cost a lot. Perhaps the best part of double Atleti’s outlay. Spurs do have the spending power to do it, though.
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