Atletico Madrid would like to close a deal for Tottenham Defender Cristian Romero before the club World Cup, according to a report.
Romero has been an important gear in the Spurs side since he was in the 2021-22 season of Atalanta on a first loan from Atalanta.
The 26-year-old was critical of the club's hierarchy and recruitment policy in December, which emphasizes a lack of depth of their team compared to the elite of the Premier League, after an abundance of injuries.
After he has missed a number of games this season due to injury and suspension himself, he also praised the medical staff of his national party in comments that were conceived as a subtle excavation for his rehabilitation treatment at Spurs.
Last month, Mail Sport reported that Atletico Madrid monitors developments with Romero prior to a potential summer movement.
The Argentina -International is also expected to be interested in exploring a move while he is looking for Champions League football.
Atletico has now made Romero an excellent defensive target and hope to sign him for £ 43 million, according to De Spiegel.
Atletico wants to sign two defenders, including Romero, with the Cristhian -Mosquara from Valencia also on the shortlist.
The contracts of Cesar Azpilicueta, Axel Witsel and Reinildo Mandava rose at the end of June and their participation in the club World Cup, which runs from 14 June to 13 July, are doubtful.
Romero, a World Cup winner at Argentina, plays among his fifth manager at Spurs, including interims, since he was signed for £ 43 million from Atalanta from Atalanta in 2021.
In December Romero Daniel Levy warned that the club is sliding behind their Premier League rivals due to a lack of investment.
Asked whether Tottenham suffered from limited expenditures and a lack of depth, the Centrumback told the Deportes of Telemundo: 'The truth is that I would not comment, but …
'Manchester City competes every year, you see how Liverpool strengthens his team, Chelsea strengthens their team, does not do well, reinforces again, and now they see results. Those are the things to imitate.
'You have to realize that something goes wrong, hopefully they realize it.
'The last few years it has always been the same: first, the players, the coaching staff changes, and they are always the same people who are responsible.
“Hopefully they realize who is the true responsible person, and we are going ahead because it is a wonderful club that, with the structure it has, could easily compete for the title every year.”
Tottenham is on their way to their worst Premier League campaign while they are in 15th place -but stay on the hunt to end their long trophy after they have reached the Europa League -and -half final with victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.