Spurs captain Cristian Romero is now a target for two surprise Premier League clubs, with a low-cost transfer in the works.
Tottenham Hotspur have been busy this summer in the transfer market, working hard to give manager Roberto De Zerbi the players he needs to push the club back up the Premier League and compete for European football.
Last season was tough, with De Zerbi managing to keep Spurs in the top flight by the skin of their teeth, finishing 17th after a tense battle with West Ham to avoid relegation.
To make sure they don’t find themselves in that situation again, Spurs have signed Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali. Two of those new players, Van Hecke and Senesi, are centre backs, which might mean Spurs are okay with their captain, Cristian Romero, possibly leaving.
But they probably didn’t expect that he might join one of their main rivals. Reports from Italy say Arsenal and Chelsea are both interested in the Argentina defender. Inter Milan was also linked with Romero, and Spurs reportedly want around €50 million (£42m) for him. Inter might want to do a loan with an obligation to buy for about half that price, hoping to pay €25 million, similar to a deal they made for another player last year.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Romero would be open to returning to Italy, with Inter as his top choice. But Arsenal and Chelsea are seen as strong contenders too. It would be surprising if Spurs agreed to sell him to either of these London rivals, especially Chelsea, who are close to signing Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.
Arsenal, however, do need a centre back since William Saliba is likely to miss the start of the season because of a back injury, so they might want to bring Romero in as cover.
Still, whether Spurs would seriously consider selling their captain and one of their best players to their north London rivals is a completely different question.