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Spanish giants earmark Chelsea star as Plan B if Tottenham transfer falls through

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 9:36 AM ET

Tottenham receive surprise boost to keep Cristian Romero after Atletico Madrid’s latest transfer development

Atletico Madrid have been chasing Tottenham Hotspur star Cristian Romero since the start of the summer transfer window. So far, there has been no direct offer to Spurs for the defender.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has long maintained that the 2022 World Cup winner is not for sale this summer. Yet, that has not stopped Atletico Madrid from believing that they can lure him to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. Los Rojiblancos have been encouraged in their pursuit after Cristian Romero expressed his desire to play in La Liga earlier this summer. This also led to their manager Diego Simeone publicly calling the Argentine a “great player” in June, adding further fuel to the speculation.

Daniel Levy has slapped a £70million asking price on the centre-back’s head and is not willing to compromise on his valuation. Recent reports have claimed that Atletico Madrid are preparing a ‘strong’ offer of €80 million to secure the signing of Romero, who has two years remaining on his contract at White Hart Lane, but so far, there has been nothing to show for it.

Now, after trying to find a breakthrough over a potential deal for Romero, it looks like the La Liga have had a change of heart.

Chelsea’s Renato Veiga is Plan B to Cristian Romero

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Atletico have identified Chelsea defender Renato Veiga as Plan B to Romero.

It is understood that Tottenham have refused to sell Romero for less than their valuation, a figure which Atletico have refused to meet. As a result, the Diego Simeone-managed club have shifted their focus towards Renato Veiga, who only swapped FC Basel for Chelsea last summer.

Veiga is open to an exit from Chelsea after failing to become a regular under Enzo Maresca. The aforementioned report adds that the Blues are ready to sell him for €30-35m this summer, as the Portugal international, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus, prioritises regular minutes next campaign ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Relief for Spurs?

Atletico finally cooling their interest in Romero and looking at other options to bolster their defensive unit should come as a relief for Thomas Frank and Levy. Tottenham have been unwilling to let Romero leave this summer and remained firm on their valuation, compelling the La Liga club to apparently end their pursuit of the South American star.

The Lilywhites won the Europa League last season and subsequently qualified for the Champions League- matching Romero’s ambitions. And with a progressive, tactically astute man in Frank now at the helm, the World Cup winner can taste a lot more success by staying in North London.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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