Cristian Romero Close to Leaving Tottenham as Transfers Heat Up

Cristian Romero edges towards the exit at Tottenham, and this time it feels real.

Atletico Madrid are closing in on a deal for the Argentina defender after a summer of speculation, with Arsenal among the clubs previously credited with interest. Transfer reporter Matteo Moretto claims the Spanish side are now close to an agreement with Spurs, with only minor details left between the clubs.

If Romero goes, he will not be the only defender heading for the door.

Spence tops Inter list as Dumfries replacement

In Italy, Djed Spence has reportedly become Cristian Chivu’s top priority at Inter Milan as the new coach looks to replace Denzel Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid.

Corriere report that personal terms with Spence are already agreed and that Spurs and Inter are close to a deal worth around £25 million. For a player who never truly settled in north London, a move to Serie A could finally offer a clean slate.

Tottenham, though, have a different problem brewing in the background.

Homegrown squeeze complicates Spurs rebuild

Spurs’ attempts to reshape Roberto De Zerbi’s squad are running straight into the Premier League’s registration wall.

Clubs can name up to 25 senior players, but only 17 of those can be non-homegrown. The rest must qualify as homegrown under league rules. As things stand, Tottenham are close to their limit, which means they can only add players aged 21 or under without creating a registration issue.

Anything else likely forces sales. Big ones.

That tension runs through almost every transfer decision the club faces this month.

Bergvall at a crossroads

Lucas Bergvall sits right in the middle of that debate.

The 20-year-old has featured regularly in pre-season under De Zerbi and, according to football.london, the player’s camp recognises that the coach has backed up his praise with meaningful minutes this summer.

But the story did not start there. Earlier in the window, Bergvall informed Spurs he wanted a fresh challenge to accelerate his development. He had grown frustrated last season at a lack of training time, let alone match action, in his preferred No. 8 role.

Now his future remains open. De Zerbi has shown him a path. The question is whether that will be enough to change a mind that had already started to look elsewhere.

Osimhen off the table

Up front, one potential marquee solution has already slipped away.

Reports earlier this week suggested Spurs had the option to move for Victor Osimhen this summer. That possibility appears to have vanished. Soccernet.ng report that the Nigerian striker will stay put, with his club planning to build their attack around the 27-year-old and hand him the No. 9 shirt.

Osimhen is under contract until June 2029 and has no release clause, making any move prohibitively difficult. For Tottenham, who continue to search for a long-term focal point in attack, that door looks firmly closed.

Gakpo chase hits a wall

Cody Gakpo is another name on the De Zerbi wishlist, but Liverpool are in no mood to help.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke told the Transfer Insider podcast for Football Insider that Liverpool do not plan to sell Gakpo “as things stand right now” despite Tottenham’s interest. The Dutch forward remains important, and Liverpool’s squad is already light on numbers.

The situation could only change under two conditions: Liverpool sign more attacking reinforcements, and Spurs table a huge bid in the region of £70 million or more. Without both, Gakpo stays at Anfield.

For Tottenham, that makes any deal unlikely rather than merely complicated.

City’s Savinho and Marmoush on radar

The market, though, is never short of alternatives.

Manchester City’s Savinho is a key target, with De Zerbi keen to add more pace and direct threat to his front line. City attacker Omar Marmoush is also believed to be of interest, as Spurs weigh up different ways to reshape their attack.

All of that plays out while established names continue to be linked with exits. Romero’s situation is moving. Spence looks close to Inter. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has also been mentioned in reports as a possible departure.

Tottenham want more signings. The manager wants more weapons. The homegrown rules demand more sales.

Somewhere in that tangle, this squad is about to change shape. The only question is how ruthless Spurs are prepared to be to get there.