Atletico Madrid targets Tottenham's Cristian Romero for £43m deal

Atletico Madrid are actively pursuing significant summer transfers, with Tottenham defender Cristian Romero emerging as a top defensive target, as the club aims to strengthen before the Club World Cup and address expiring contracts in their backline. Romero, who has expressed interest in Champions League football and concerns over Tottenham’s squad depth, is reportedly open to the move, with Atletico hopeful of securing him for around £43-45 million. Alongside Romero, Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera is also on Atletico’s shortlist as they seek to reinforce their defense. The club is also monitoring Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, though they are hesitant to meet his high valuation, and have shown interest in Aston Villa midfielder Enzo Barrenechea, who has impressed on loan at Valencia. Atletico’s transfer activity reflects manager Diego Simeone’s response to recent disappointments in domestic and European competitions, with the club eager to close the gap with La Liga’s top teams. These moves come amid uncertainty over the futures of several current Atletico defenders and a broader push to revamp the squad for the upcoming season.