Pedulla Exclusive: Atletico Madrid Offers €40M for Romero; Arsenal, Barcelona Still Interested

Published Aug 9, 01:25 AM UTC

Italian journalist Alfredo Pedullà reports that Atletico Madrid has made a formal €40 million offer for Tottenham Hotspur's Argentine center-back Cristian 'Cuti' Romero, with a guaranteed net annual salary of over €6 million. Atletico is a strong contender but awaits Romero's final decision. Romero is holding out for two reasons, including interest from Arsenal, where manager Mikel Arteta highly rates him. A bid exceeding €40 million could cause serious concerns for Tottenham. Barcelona remains a potential suitor, possibly making an offer after Ronald Araujo's transfer to Liverpool, though they must comply with Financial Fair Play regulations. Barcelona will only withdraw from the race once Romero moves to another club.