Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement worth £34.2m (40m euros) to bring Cristian Romero in from Tottenham.
The 28-year-old is poised to become Atletico’s fourth arrival of the summer, with Spurs also securing a 15 per cent share of any future transfer fee.
Romero, an Argentina international, recently attracted attention from Premier League champions Arsenal, but Tottenham were unwilling to allow their captain to join their north London rivals.
He departs Tottenham after five seasons, during which he recorded 156 appearances and 13 goals following his initial loan move from Atalanta in 2021.
The central defender represented Argentina on their journey to the World Cup final this summer and was absent for only one match.
Romero had been expected to rejoin Spurs for pre-season in the coming week after receiving additional leave following the competition in North America.
He wore the captain’s armband last season as Tottenham narrowly escaped relegation from the Premier League.
After completing a permanent £42.5m transfer from Atalanta, Romero established himself as a central part of the team’s defence.
His departure will disappoint Spurs supporters, who could also see Djed Spence move to Inter Milan, with the Italian club in advanced negotiations over a £25.6m (30m euros) transfer for the England full-back.
After already adding midfielders Kang-in Lee and Morten Hjulmand, along with left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, Atletico’s summer expenditure is expected to surpass £100m if Romero’s transfer is finalised.
Head coach Diego Simeone is seeking to improve his squad after Atletico placed fourth in La Liga last season, finishing behind third-placed Villarreal.
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