Atletico enter formal Romero talks as Tottenham slam door on Arsenal

Cristian Romero's Tottenham exit is taking shape, with Atletico Madrid now at the front of the queue. The Spanish club have opened formal talks with Spurs over a summer switch for the Argentine centre-back, whose time in north London appears to be over. Romero is Tottenham's captain, but his relationship with the fanbase became strained during a turbulent season. Spurs slid toward the relegation zone late in the campaign, and the defender's decision to visit former club Belgrano while sidelined with a knee injury went down badly. He missed a key match against Everton and instead flew to Argentina, then made the trip back to London for the game, but the damage was already done. Atletico, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter and even Arsenal have all been linked. insider confirmed Arsenal made enquiries and spoke with Romero's representatives, yet Tottenham have no intention of doing business with their north London rivals. It was a situation that brought back memories of Sol Campbell's controversial switch between the two clubs in 2001. "Arsenal spoke with Cristian Romero's representatives and asked for information about the situation," Romano said. "The problem is the relationship between Arsenal and Tottenham, which obviously makes any deal extremely difficult." Romano added that Atletico are now the clear favourites. The player is negotiating with the Spanish club, while Tottenham and Atletico are also in discussions. Inter had previously reached an agreement with Spurs, but that move is stuck unless Benjamin Pavard leaves and Romero's personal terms are resolved. Arsenal, meanwhile, still expect to sign a centre-back, with Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa another name on their radar. According to Ben Jacobs, Atletico have opened official talks with Tottenham, who are willing to sell their captain for €40m. Inter had agreed a fee with Spurs earlier in the summer but could not finalise personal terms with Romero. Even if Romero departs, Spurs look well stocked at the back. Micky van de Ven is set to sign a new contract, Jan Paul van Hecke has joined from Brighton in a €60m deal, Marcos Senesi arrived on a free transfer from Bournemouth, and Kevin Danso is still part of the squad.