Tottenham look like losing Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid, with a deal said to be close.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone has stated his desire to add the Argentinian defender to his ranks and a move appears to be edging closer.
Romero has spent four years in north London and has earned plenty of plaudits for his aggressive defensive style, seen as a perfect fit at Simeone's team.
Contacts 'intensify' as Romero move to 'one step away' from leaving Tottenham Hotspur
It was reported in June that Simeone was calling Romero every day to try and convince him to leave Tottenham by journalist Ruben Uria reporting for El Desmarque – and now it looks as if the club are going to follow through on their interest.
AS, via Sports Witness, are suggesting that it is a crucial week for the move as they 'intensify contacts' with the World Cup winner.
Argentine outlet DS Sports go one further and suggest the defender is 'one step away' from leaving Tottenham, but the English clubs stance remains firm. They are willing to let him leave but want to be compensated first, and that would require a fee in the region of €70 million.
Fichajes are suggesting the Spanish side are willing to match that, however the deal will be a €55 million fixed fee with performance related add ons up to €15 million, both related to the player and the club.
Transfermarkt value Romero at €50 million.
The Fichajes report states that Romero's close circle are not opposed to change and the fact that Rodrigo De Paul and Julian Alvarez both already play for the club is an appealing prospect.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, its a big loss for Tottenham and Thomas Frank, but perhaps gives both a chance to start from scratch. Micky van de Ven looks set to stay, and with the money brought in by the Romero sale, Tottenham should be able to find an adequate replacement.
For Romero, joining Atletico probably represents more stability. They are likely to play in the Champions League every year, and Simeone doesn't look likely to leave anytime soon.
They are often considered outsiders for the La Liga title, but strengthening with Romero may help them close the gap between themselves, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
