Online Reporter
CRISTIAN ROMERO wants to sign for Arsenal — but Tottenham have NO intention of selling to their bitter rivals.
World Cup finalist Romero, 28, is set to leave Spurs this summer after five seasons in N17.
Arch enemies Arsenal are understood to be interested in the Argentine, along with Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
But a deal with the Gunners will be totally unpalatable for Spurs.
A move across North London would be a truly eyebrow-raising transfer and have the hallmarks of Sol Campbell leaving Spurs for Arsenal in 2001.
The difference with that switch though was that Campbell was a free agent, meaning Spurs could not prevent the centre-back from crossing into enemy territory.
Former England star Campbell was the last player to move directly from Spurs to Arsenal — and he was labelled a “Judas” by fans at White Hart Lane for the move.
Nobody has made the switch at all since 2010, when William Gallas controversially went in the opposite direction at the end of his Gunners contract.Romero still has another three years left on his contract meaning Tottenham hold the cards over his future.
SunSport has been told by a high-level source at Spurs that they would not entertain the prospect of selling a player to the Gunners.
It appears to rule out what would be the most contentious move of the summer.
But Romero is still expected to leave Spurs before the end of the transfer window.
Boss Roberto De Zerbi has already signed Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52million as his replacement.
Atletico have a long-standing interest, with head coach Diego Simeone a huge fan of his compatriot, and seem a much more likely destination.
The Spanish giants tried to sign Romero last summer before then boss Thomas Frank convinced the defender to sign a bumper new contract and made him skipper.
Atletico are believed to be readying a fresh bid for £40million-rated Romero, financed by sales of a number of three other players.
They include Italian left-back Matteo Ruggeri, who is close to a £17m switch to Aston Villa.
Romero’s fellow Argentine Nahuel Molina is heading to Roma in a deal worth up to £14.5m.
While Thiago Almada, another international team-mate of Romero, is expected to join River Plate for £17m.
Inter are also very keen on Romero but are believed to still have some way to go to strike an agreement with the player over personal terms.
Arsenal are in the market for a new centre-back with William Saliba set for a spell on the sidelines with a back injury. SunSport revealed earlier this summer their interest in free agent John Stones, but the England defender opted to join Inter on a two-year deal. —Sun.
