Cristian Romero has officially ended his five-year association with Tottenham Hotspur, sealing a move to Atletico Madrid worth 40 million euros (£34.1m), a deal that reportedly includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause for the north London club.
The Argentina international, who joined Spurs from Atalanta in 2021, leaves having made 156 appearances for the club. His time in England was not without controversy, punctuated by disciplinary issues and public frustration with the club's hierarchy, yet he cemented his legacy last season by being named man of the match as Tottenham defeated Manchester United to win the 2025 Europa League, ending a 17-year wait for silverware.
Romero's final months at the club were complicated by injury. He suffered a knee injury during a defeat at Sunderland in April, which marked his last appearance in a Spurs shirt and ruled him out of the club's remaining six Premier League fixtures as they fought to avoid relegation. His decision to travel to Argentina during that period to watch his boyhood club Belgrano compete in a domestic final angered sections of the Tottenham fanbase, though he later returned to England in time to witness the crucial 1-0 win over Everton that secured the club's top-flight status, with Spurs finishing 17th for a second straight season.
Despite the turbulence, new manager Roberto De Zerbi sanctioned Romero's exit, paving the way for him to link up with fellow Argentine Diego Simeone at Atletico, ending years of speculation linking the defender with the Spanish club. The move also comes as Tottenham strengthened their defensive options elsewhere, tying academy product Micky van de Ven to a new long-term deal and bringing in Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi.
Announcing his departure on social media, Romero reflected candidly on his time at the club, acknowledging his imperfections while expressing pride in what he achieved.