Manchester United have thrown themselves into a three-way battle for Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Cristian Romero, as Spanish outlet MARCA report the Red Devils now rival Atletico Madrid for the Argentine’s signature ahead of the summer transfer window.
Manchester United enter the race to sign Cristian Romero from Spurs
Atletico first looked for Romero last summer, but Diego Simeone’s side failed to get the deal across the line. Tottenham subsequently convinced the 27-year-old to sign a new contract extending his stay at the club until June 2029, seemingly drawing a line under the speculation. Despite that fresh commitment, the uncertainty surrounding his future refuses to go away, and the situation now grows more complicated with every passing week.
Spurs hold Romero’s value at approximately £61 million. However, a specific release clause of £52 million exists exclusively for Atletico and Real Madrid, granting those two clubs a meaningful financial advantage over any other suitor. Atletico intend to test Tottenham’s resolve again this summer. Still, United’s entry into the equation presents Simeone’s club with what MARCA describe as a “major problem,” forcing them to act quicker and more decisively than originally planned.
Why does Romero remain one of the most wanted defenders in Europe?
The statistics from the 2025/26 campaign explain exactly why multiple clubs chase the Argentine World Cup winner so aggressively. Romero has scored four goals and contributed one assist across 22 Premier League appearances, averaging 2.74 tackles and 1.45 interceptions per 90 minutes, while completing 87.25 per cent of his passes. His aerial numbers tell a similarly impressive story, with 61 aerial duels won across the season. WhoScored rates Romero’s tackling as very strong and his aerial ability as strong, and those numbers genuinely back that assessment up. His main weakness, however, remains discipline, as 11 yellow cards and two red cards this season underline a recklessness that occasionally costs his team badly.
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For United, a side that conceded freely throughout recent seasons, Romero represents the commanding, aggressive, ball-playing defender that Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system desperately requires as a replacement for Harry Maguire. Whether United outmuscle Atletico financially will likely decide everything.
