Barcelona’s pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Cristian Romero is gathering pace after the Catalan club reportedly stepped back from their chase of Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni over cost concerns.
Romero first emerged as Barcelona’s leading alternative to Bastoni on April 29, according to Sport Witness, with subsequent reports suggesting Bastoni had grown increasingly unsettled by the Spanish club’s mounting admiration for the Spurs defender.
Wednesday’s edition of Sport now reports that the newly crowned La Liga champions have effectively shelved their interest in Bastoni after balking at Inter’s €70 million valuation. Hansi Flick’s side are consequently turning their attention to more budget-friendly targets, with Romero rising quickly to the front of the queue.
Barcelona are said to be keeping a close eye on Tottenham’s precarious league position following their damaging 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday. That result left Spurs 17th in the table, just two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham, with their Premier League survival still far from guaranteed.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the club, Tottenham are reportedly willing to sanction Romero’s departure regardless of whether they beat the drop or not. Barcelona were offered the Argentine over a month ago and have since made contact with his camp, though they are still awaiting a formal reply. The Spanish club are said to be firmly confident that Romero will move on from Spurs this summer.
His price tag, however, could fluctuate depending on Tottenham’s fate. Premier League survival would likely push the asking price to around €60 million, while relegation could significantly reduce that figure. Even so, Barcelona are reluctant to reach the €60 million mark and would only proceed if Tottenham substantially lower their demands. A part-exchange arrangement involving a player is one avenue being explored to bridge the financial gap.
Romero is understood to be personally receptive to a switch to Camp Nou, though Atlético Madrid are also monitoring developments. No concrete movement is anticipated until Tottenham’s season has concluded.
The Argentine signed a contract extension at Spurs last August keeping him at the club until 2029. Transfermarkt currently values him at €50 million, down from a peak of €65 million in December 2025. His agent, Ciro Palermo, is managing both his recovery from an April injury and a growing list of suitors from across Europe’s top leagues.
