Atletico Madrid beats three top clubs! The Spanish side signs Argentine starting center-back, aged 28, for a €40 million transfer fee, leaving Tottenham at a loss.

On August 13, Beijing time, renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed with his iconic "HERE WE GO" that La Liga giants Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of center-back Cristian Romero.

Atletico Madrid will pay a total of €40 million (including add-ons) to Tottenham for the 28-year-old Argentine international. Tottenham will also retain a 15% sell-on clause on any future transfer of Romero.

Romano also revealed that Romero had previously been linked with three European giants. Negotiations between Tottenham and Inter Milan fell through in July, while Barcelona decided not to pursue Romero further a few days ago. Additionally, although Arsenal and Romero had mutual interest, Tottenham never intended to sell their captain to their local rivals.

In the end, Atletico Madrid came from behind, defeating the three giants and successfully completing this major deal, securing the player they strongly desired. The club believes that Romero's arrival will help convince his compatriot Julian Alvarez to stay with the team.

Born on April 27, 1998, Romero plays as a center-back. He joined Tottenham from Atalanta in the summer of 2022 for a record fee of €53.8 million. Last season, as captain, he made 23 league appearances for Tottenham, contributing 4 goals and 1 assist.

In the World Cup held this summer, Romero served as Argentina's starting center-back and helped the team finish as runners-up. Currently, his market value on German website Transfermarkt is still as high as €50 million.