Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer
Cristian Romero is being linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur
Cristian Romero is being linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Cristian Romero's future has been a topic of speculation all summer, and now there are reports that another club could be a potential destination for the Tottenham Hotspur star.
Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Barcelona have been credited with an interest in signing Romero this summer, and now there are reports that Arsenal could be in the running to sign the 28-year-old centre-back.
The Sun state that Romero has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, but Spurs apparently have no plans to allow the Argentina defender to make the switch across north London.
Various reports have claimed that Atletico and Inter are expected to be the frontrunners to sign Romero, with Barcelona potentially interested after Ronald Araujo seals a loan move to Liverpool. But the rumour that Arsenal may be interested has certainly caught plenty of attention.
As a result, football.london have assessed the possibility of Romero leaving Tottenham to join Arsenal.
Mark Wakefield
It has been well known for some time that Cristian Romero is expected to leave Tottenham this summer. What many did not see coming, though, was the rumour that a move to Arsenal could be on the cards for the defender.
Arsenal have not signed a player from Tottenham since Sol Campbell in 2001, and it has seemed unlikely that another would happen any time soon.
Tottenham have shown their intent to have a successful season with their transfer business, while Arsenal are going into a campaign as Premier League champions and hoping for another impressive season.
If Romero were to join Arsenal, it would send shockwaves throughout the Premier League and would certainly make the North London Derby even more intense next season.
I personally can't see a move happening unless both Inter and Atletico drop out of the race and Romero himself pushes for a deal.
Even then, it would take a substantial offer for Tottenham to even give a tiny amount of consideration to letting Romero leave to join their bitter rivals.
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Amie Wilson
It's a brave player to directly make the move across north London from Tottenham to Arsenal, especially so as Romero has worn the captain's armband for Spurs - the last player to make the move was William Gallas, who moved from Arsenal to Spurs in 2010.
If they are interested in Romano, Spurs are not likely to make it easy for Arsenal. The defender has three years remaining on his contract, meaning that despite speculation over his future, Tottenham are under no pressure to sell.
William Saliba's injury means that Arsenal will probably be in the market for a centre-back this summer, and Romero has shown that he has the quality to be able to excel in the Premier League.
One question I would have is his outspoken nature on social media, and if that would be something that Arsenal want in their tight-knit squad. The defender appeared to speak out against the Spurs hierarchy in a social media post last season.
Romero was also one of the Argentina players who held up a banner referencing the Falkland Islands following the World Cup semi-final win over England last month.
Making the move from Tottenham to Arsenal would only increase the scrutiny on the player and put the pressure on him to hit the ground running. That, and the premium that Spurs would make Arsenal pay for the player, means that they may be better looking elsewhere for defensive reinforcements.
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Kieran Horn
Writing as an angry Tottenham fan, it would be a disgrace for Romero to even consider, let alone push, for a move to Arsenal.
The Spurs fanbase is very split on Romero with some believing that his behaviour, aggression and decision-making costs the team far more than it benefits them. Others meanwhile, see him as a World Cup winner tired of being associated with mediocrity and thus tries to make an impact in both boxes, knowing that no one else will.
I’m somewhere in the middle, but this saga has taken me towards the former description as it has become clear he does not care about the club and really only himself.
His decisions in putting Argentina over Spurs has also caused controversy. I’ve come to terms that it is the right decision for him to depart, but the club must do everything they can to stop him going to Arsenal.
If the switch does go through, however, it would be a great signing for Arsenal if they can get a reasonable price. If anyone can get the best out of him, it is likely Mikel Arteta.
Joe Doyle
It's a strange one, and it would really only benefit one person: Cristian Romero. Spurs would be losing a captain to their rivals for the first time since Sol Campbell's bitter move back in 2001 - something they didn't sanction back then as he left on a free transfer.
Arsenal, meanwhile, would be signing a defender who, at his best, can be on top of the world and, at his worst, can be an absolute liability. In terms of temperament, he's almost the direct opposite of William Saliba.
He'd likely want to be one of the club's higher earners given his status in the game, but he wouldn't start if Gabriel and Saliba are fit. Would being a back-up suit his mindset?
In all likelihood, this move isn't going to happen. You'd have to think Spurs would rather lose him on a free than sell him to Arsenal, so if he really does want a move to the Emirates Stadium, he's going to have to wait until his contract expires in 2029 or create a truly toxic atmosphere that leads to a move - would he do that?
In my opinion, this is probably agent talk to speed up the process of him moving to his preferred destinations of either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid.