Barcelona and Atletico Madrid set for transfer tug-of-war

Barcelona will be in the market this summer for a new centre-back, and this is also the case for Atletico Madrid. Considering this, it’s hardly a surprise that their targets have overlapped, with both clubs eyeing a move for one player in particular.

Last summer, Atleti tried to sign Cristian Romero, before ultimately giving up the ghost. After their failed attempt, Tottenham Hotspur tied the Argentina international down to a new contract in the hopes of securing his future for years to come, but it appears that it has not worked out.

In recent weeks, it has been reported that Romero intends to leave Spurs at the end of the season, and according to ED, the two clubs leading the race at this moment in time are Atleti and Barcelona.

Atleti have been following Romero for some time, with head coach Diego Simeone very keen to add his compatriot to the Argentine contingent that has been built up at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano. They are likely to be in need of a new centre-back due to doubts over the future of Jose Maria Gimenez, whose exit would open the door for a move to be made.

Barcelona appreciate Romero

As for Barcelona, they see Romero as an attractive option, especially if he were to be available for a reduced fee due to him pushing through an exit. Their interest is not as strong as Atleti’s, but if they can return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule in the coming months, they could be ready to make a strong attempt to bring him to the Spotify Camp Nou.

It will be interesting to see where Romero ends up this summer. La Liga appears to be a likely destination, given that the player himself previously signalled his intent to play in Spain.