Atletico Madrid face 'soap opera' as they attempt to sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham as Daniel Levy sets price for World Cup winner after Europa League triumph

Atletico Madrid are going to do everything they can to sign Spurs star Romero this summer, but the Premier League outfit will not make it easy for them to sign one of their most important players. That comes from a report from AS (h/t Sport Witness), who reveal that Tottenham are 'not making his exit easy', despite Romero dropping hints that he might be seeking greener pastures.

The club’s Champions League qualification, manager Ange Postecoglou’s insistence on keeping him, and chairman Daniel Levy’s tough negotiating stance all strengthen their position. Tottenham are said to demand €70 million (£59m/$79m), a fee Atletico are reluctant to meet. CEO Miguel Angel Gil is expected to contact Spurs directly, but with no urgency to sell, Romero’s potential move is shaping into a drawn-out summer saga.

Spurs had a miserable season, finishing 17th in the Premier League. And yet, they have qualified for next season's Champions League. A large part of the credit goes to Romero, who was solid throughout Spurs' glorious Europa League campaign and was duly rewarded both the Player of the Match award in the final as well as the Player of the Tournament. Reports over the last few weeks have stated that the 2022 World Cup-winning centre-back has already been in contact with Los Colchoneros, with head coach Diego Simeone taking the onus on himself to convince Romero into joining them. However, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, known to be a shrewd and tough negotiator, will not let go of the Argentine defender easily, despite his willingness to join the La Liga giants.

Romero's national team-mate and Atletico forward Julian Alvarez might be playing the role of a pseudo-agent in an attempt to persuade the defender into arriving at the Metropolitano. Earlier this month, while speaking to AS, Alvarez didn't hide his feelings and openly acknowledged that he would love to pair with his Argentina buddy at club level: "I hope [he joins]! I hope it happens. He's a great player. One of the best centre-backs in the world, in my opinion. A teammate on the national team and a great person. Such a great addition to the team would be a great help.

"[Atleti] feels more like Argentina compared to the Premier League. Maybe also because of the language, or, as we were saying, there are many Argentinian team-mates, the coach too, and so I felt a bit more like Argentina. It's like a family, very close. The passion, courage, and heart that Atleti identifies with is felt a bit more from within."

While it remains to be seen whether Romero stays put in London or joins Los Rojiblancos this summer, he will continue to represent his nation during next month's World Cup qualifiers. Argentina will take on Chile on June 6, followed by a game against Colombia on June 11. The Albiceleste are currently at the top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying table, eight clear of second-placed Paraguay with just four games left.