- Man Utd linked with Tottenham star Cristian Romero
- Red Devils ‘bid’ rumour seems to be false
- Argentine isn’t a priority
Manchester United are reportedly not pursuing a new defender amid claims in Argentina that a bid is being prepared for Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero. A shock report emerged on Monday night linking the Reds with the centre-back.
According to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul, United are interested in Romero and are readying an offer for the player. He is expected to be on the move this summer and has previously been touted with a move to La Liga giants Atletico Madrid.
Fans were taken aback given Romero’s controversial past season with Spurs. Many questioned his leadership qualities as club captain as the Lilywhites nearly suffered relegation.
Man Utd not prioritising Romero
Romero on his day is one of the best centre-backs in the league, and he is a warrior in defence. He made 32 appearances across competitions this season, posting an impressive six goals and four assists.
According to Sam C, United aren’t actively pursuing a defender at this stage of the transfer window. He points out links to Romero but seemingly suggests that a move for the Spurs captain isn’t on the cards right now.
For many, that will be good news, given that the main focus should be on overhauling the central midfield. There are also question marks over Romero’s temperament.
Romero’s last outing at Old Trafford saw him sent off after a reckless challenge on Casemiro. If the Reds had swooped for the Argentine, the transfer might not have gone down too well with a large section of the fanbase.
That doesn’t mean a new centre-back isn’t on INEOS’ to-do list this summer. There have been several central defenders linked in recent months, including Marco Senesi, who has instead joined Spurs to perhaps directly replace Romero.
Right call
If Tottenham want around £56m for Romero, as suggested by reports in England, that wouldn’t be ideal for United. It’s not the most outrageous fee for a World Cup-winning centre-back, but it does eat into INEOS’ transfer budget.
The priority is and should be on at least one new midfielder alongside Ederson who is set to be confirmed as Michael Carrick’s first summer signing. The club have agreed on a £38m package deal with Atalanta for the Brazilian midfielder.
Other midfielders on United’s shortlist include West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes and Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni. Those are targets that need to be pursued before thinking about less urgent areas of Carrick’s squad such as central defence.
