Tottenham rejected a move for Cristian Romero to Arsenal, while the Argentine reportedly closes in on a move to Atletico Madrid. Arsenal have been rebuffed in their approach for Cristian Romero, with Tottenham making clear they won’t do business with their London rivals as the Argentine defender edges closer to a move to Atletico Madrid. The reigning Premier League champions turned to Romero after William Saliba suffered a serious back injury during France’s World Cup campaign, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side short at the back with the transfer window nearing its close. Arsenal had already seen an earlier approach for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa rejected before shifting their attention to the Tottenham captain. Spurs, however, wasted no time shutting the door. Fabrizio Romano reported that Arsenal made inquiries this week but that Spurs prefer to sell abroad, while a separate report from The Athletic stated that Tottenham’s hierarchy have categorically ruled out selling Romero to Arsenal under any circumstances. That stance has left the door wide open for Atletico Madrid, who have emerged as the clear favorites for Romero’s signature. The Spanish club has already opened formal negotiations with Tottenham, seen an initial bid rejected, and is preparing a new offer, with Romano placing Atletico Madrid well ahead of Inter Milan in the race for the Argentine. Cristian Romero of Tottenham. (Getty Images) Inter, meanwhile, had reached a €40 million agreement with Tottenham but saw the move stall after failing to sell Benjamin Pavard to fund it and after Romero himself held off on agreeing personal terms — with reports suggesting the defender has a clause favoring a move to one of Spain’s traditional “big three” clubs. Romero hinted earlier at a LaLiga move Romero’s links to a Spanish move aren’t new. Speaking to Los Edul a few months ago, the defender admitted that a switch to LaLiga was something he’d long considered. “Growth is always on my mind, going to new places to keep growing. Playing in LaLiga is something I’m missing out on. I would love that, honestly,” he said at the time. Those comments now look particularly timely given how close he appears to Atletico Madrid. While Romero has been consistently linked with a move to Spain over the past year, his own words suggest the interest runs both ways.
Lionel Messi will reunite with former Barcelona teammate Sergi Roberto in the MLS, but this time as league rivals. Sergi Roberto is closing in on a move to the MLS, but instead of reuniting with Lionel Messi in Inter Miami, he’ll be lining up as his rival. According to Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto, negotiations between the Spanish midfielder and the LA Galaxy have advanced significantly, with a deal potentially being finalized soon. The Los Angeles club is working to close the signing as quickly as possible, with Roberto set to begin a new chapter after two seasons at Como, where he made 37 appearances under Cesc Fabregas, scoring once and adding an assist. The Catalan midfielder did not reach an agreement to renew his contract with the Italian club, leaving him a free agent. Should the move go through, Roberto would reunite with a pair of familiar faces at Galaxy: Riqui Puig, his former Barcelona teammate and Hirving Lozano, who recently arrived on loan from San Diego FC. The Galaxy currently sit 12th in the Western Conference and are banking on both additions to provide an immediate boost in their push for a playoff spot. At 34, Roberto arrives in MLS as a decorated veteran and a Barcelona icon, forever remembered for scoring the goal that completed the club’s stunning 6-1 comeback against PSG in the 2016-17 Champions League Round of 16. Sergio Roberto unbelievable last minute goal to complete the comeback vs PSG🗣️ "The night after the goal, I couldn't sleep."🔵🔴 When the 'remontada' dream became the reality – substitute Sergi Roberto makes history… pic.twitter.com/8Ls9fXaQOS— 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙤 (@UTDRico8) November 29, 2024 He had once been strongly linked with a reunion with Messi at Inter Miami, but that move never materialized — and now, rather than sharing a locker room with his old captain, he could be facing him from the opposite dugout. A decade together in Barcelona The Spanish defender and Messi were Barcelona teammates for roughly 11 years, from Roberto’s first-team debut in November 2010 until Messi’s departure for PSG in August 2021. Over 14 seasons at the club in total, Roberto won 25 trophies — including two Champions Leagues and seven LaLiga titles — with the vast majority of that haul coming during the years he shared a dressing room with Messi, then the driving force behind Barcelona’s golden era.
Fresh off their World Cup run, several key Argentina national team players are on the move during the 2026 summer transfer window, with Cristian Romero, Thiago Almada, and Facundo Medina all reportedly closing in on new deals. Argentina made waves during the 2026 World Cup by storming all the way to the final before suffering a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Spain. Now, key members of that runner-up squad are generating significant buzz across the summer transfer window, with Cristian Romero, Thiago Almada, and Facundo Medina all nearing high-profile moves. One of the defining sagas of the summer window centers on Cristian Romero, the Tottenham Hotspur captain who made his desire to depart North London clear at the end of the club season. Coming off a standout campaign in the World Cup that earned him a nomination for defender of the tournament, the star center back is now closing in on his next destination. As reported by transfer insider Nicolo Schira and ESPN Argentina‘s Esteban Edul, Romero has agreed to personal terms with Atletico Madrid. While Inter Milan pursued his signature, valuation hurdles stalled talks, allowing Los Colchoneros to strike an agreement on a €6 million annual salary through 2030 with a club option for 2031. Final club-to-club negotiations with Tottenham are expected to wrap up between €40 million and €45 million. Meanwhile, transfer reporter Cesar Luis Merlo reported that Thiago Almada will leave Atlwtico Madrid to sign with Argentine power River Plate. The versatile forward, who opened the World Cup as a starter before seeing his minutes drop as the tournament progressed, will sign a three-and-a-half-year contract in a €20 million deal for 100% of his rights, with Atletico retaining a €40 million buyback clause. (L-R) Palacios, Tagliafico, Romero and Almada of Argentina during a training session. (Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images) Finally, French outlet L’Equipe revealed that Bayer Leverkusen reached a verbal agreement with Marseille to acquire Facundo Medina for €23 million plus €2 million in add-ons on a five-year deal. Naturally a central defender, Medina filled in capably at left back following Nicolas Tagliafico’s injury, cementing his status as one of the most reliable anchors along La Albiceleste’s back line. More Argentine stars featured in transfer speculation While Argentina’s collective output fell just short of repeating its 2022 championship triumph, the squad’s individual stars continue to command massive interest across Europe. Although Emiliano Martinez’s rumored move to Juventus has officially fallen through, several other marquee names remain linked to potential departures. The headline story involves Julian Alvarez, with Barcelona making a push to acquire the star striker, who has publicly signaled his intent to leave Atletico Madrid. Barcelona sporting director Deco traveled to Madrid this week to meet with Alvarez’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, as the Catalan club prepares its final proposal, even while Atlético continues to demand his full €500 million release clause. Elsewhere, reporter Fabrizio Romano indicates that English side Ipswich Town and Bundesliga club RB Leipzig are actively pursuing midfielder Exequiel Palacios, with negotiations ongoing. Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo reports that AS Roma is pushing to sign Nicolas Gonzalez, who returned to Juventus after a loan stint with Atletico Madrid; Juventus values the winger at €30 million, while Roma’s initial valuation sits closer to €20 million. Two additional transactions are also entering the final stages. Right back Nahuel Molina is finalizing the remaining details of his move to Roma, while teenage prodigy Franco Mastantuono, who has already worn Argentina’s iconic No. 10 shirt, is set to join Fiorentina on loan from Real Madrid, with only final contract signatures remaining before the deal becomes official.
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