Tottenham and Inter Milan have had a verbal agreement on Cristian Romero for days, and the transfer still has not moved. Goal.com, citing SportMediaset on August 1, 2026, put the fee at €40m, structured as a loan with an obligation to buy, well short of the €50m Spurs first asked for. What is holding it up is not the clubs. It is the player, who has been waiting to see whether Barcelona come for him, and Inter, who need to sell before they can pay him.
Where the deal stands
Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio addressed it directly on Sky Italia, saying it was a deal the club were trying to conclude with both the player and Tottenham, that these things take time, and that the interest was firmly there. Romero’s representatives travelled to Milan for face-to-face talks with Inter’s hierarchy on the weekend of August 1, and Fabrizio Romano reported on August 3 that Inter were expected to make a final decision soon, with outgoings the key to funding it.
Personal terms are the sticking point. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on August 3 that Romero is asking for around €6m a year, a figure Inter have so far refused: for context, Lautaro Martinez earns €9m at the club. Alfredo Pedulla had already written on July 31 that Inter were closing in on an understanding over both wages and the fee, which tells you how narrow the remaining gap is.
Why Barcelona are the real hold-up
The part that explains the delay came from Spain. Sport, relayed by Goal.com on July 28, reported that Romero has been refusing to finalise with Inter because he wants to wait for Barcelona. His representatives have kept an open line with the Barcelona sporting department, and he is said to be willing to cut his salary demands to make registration possible. Barcelona’s answer has been consistent: they will only move for a centre-back if Ronald Araujo or Jules Kounde leaves first.
That leaves Romero in a holding pattern of his own making, and it has opened a door for others. Atletico Madrid are positioned to step in if the Inter talks collapse, and TEAMtalk reported that Romero’s camp had already been exploring Spanish options while the Italian negotiation stalled. He is due back for pre-season training at Tottenham on August 10, which is the date that turns this from a slow negotiation into a decision.
Why Romero is leaving Spurs
Romero has been at Tottenham since 2021, when he arrived from Atalanta, and was made captain at the start of last season after Son Heung-min’s departure. The final chapter has soured. He was sent off twice in 2025-26, and the second red card, against Manchester United on February 7, brought a four-match suspension that ruled him out against Arsenal, Newcastle, Fulham and Crystal Palace. Journalist Dan Kilpatrick was blunt about it: ‘He’s been a disastrous captain. It’s obvious he is going to go, and I think it’s the right call.’
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi, in charge since March 31, 2026, has taken a more measured line. Speaking to Football London on July 30, he said: ‘Romero as a player is one of the best centre-backs in the world, but at the end I said I want to respect the will of the players.’ Tottenham have already covered the departure, signing Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for a fixed £52m and adding Marcos Senesi on a free transfer.
What Inter still have to do
Inter’s interest was first reported by Gianluigi Longari of Sportitalia on July 1, and it cooled briefly after they signed John Stones on a free transfer. It has since sharpened again, but the money is not there yet. The sale of Benjamin Pavard is the condition: if the Frenchman stays, a deal for Romero becomes complicated, which is exactly what Romano meant when he said outgoings would be decisive.
At €40m for a 28-year-old with three years left on his contract and more than a hundred Premier League appearances behind him, Inter would be getting a discount on Tottenham’s own valuation. Whether they get him at all now depends on two things they only half control: selling Pavard, and Barcelona deciding they do not want him.
FAQ
How much have Inter agreed to pay for Cristian Romero?
Reports put the verbal agreement at €40m, structured as a loan with an obligation to buy. Tottenham’s initial asking price was around €50m.
Why has the Romero transfer not been completed?
Two reasons. Romero has been waiting on Barcelona, who will only move for a centre-back if Araujo or Kounde leaves, and Inter need to sell Benjamin Pavard before they can meet his wage demands.
When does Cristian Romero’s Tottenham contract expire?
Romero is under contract at Tottenham until June 30, 2029, which leaves the club significant leverage despite his wish to move.
What salary is Romero asking for?
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported a request of around €6m a year, which Inter have not yet matched. Lautaro Martinez, the club’s highest earner, is on €9m.