THE €100M QUESTION: CAN REAL MADRID ACTUALLY TEMPT SPURS TO SELL CRISTIAN ROMERO?
Real Madrid are reportedly ready to offer €100M for Cristian Romero to solve a defensive crisis that has seen them drop to 9th in the UCL.
Tottenham Hotspur have a real dilemma on their hands, with reports out of Spain claiming Real Madrid are about to slap a wild €100 million offer on the table for Cristian Romero. Sounds dramatic, but let’s not get swept up just yet.
Real Madrid is having a rough time. They’re chasing Barcelona by a single point in LaLiga, and just got hammered 4-2 away to Jose Mourinho’s Benfica—enough to knock them out of the Champions League’s top eight and dump them into the play-offs. That stings. Combine that with letting in 12 goals in their last eight Champions League games and losing Eder Militao for the long haul, and it’s no shock that Florentino Perez, Madrid’s president, is getting twitchy.
Spanish outlet Fichajes says Perez has had enough. Between crashing out of the Copa del Rey to Albacete—a team from the second division, no less—and the ongoing defensive mess, Madrid are desperate. Supposedly, Perez wants to go big and throw €100 million at Spurs for Romero, hoping the sheer size of the offer will force Tottenham’s hand.
Madrid sees Romero as exactly what they’re missing: a defender with some bite and personality. According to these reports, Perez thinks the huge fee will be impossible for Spurs to refuse.
If this goes through, it’d become the third biggest January transfer ever—behind Chelsea’s €121 million for Enzo Fernandez and Barcelona’s monster €135 million move for Philippe Coutinho. It’d also match what Madrid paid Spurs for Gareth Bale in 2013, which is still Tottenham’s record sale.
But here’s the thing—Tottenham aren’t exactly eager to sell. Rumours about Madrid wanting Romero aren’t new. Last April, Romero himself admitted that a move to Spain would tempt him. He even said he’d love to play in La Liga since it’s the only major league he hasn’t tried yet.
But right now, Spurs are stretched at the back. Micky van de Ven, Romero’s regular partner (and a long-term Madrid target himself), is out injured. Selling Romero now would be disastrous for Tottenham. People around the club aren’t ruling out Madrid making a move in the summer, but for this month, there’s no sign Tottenham will budge, no matter how much money is on offer.
Meanwhile, Van de Ven missed the trip to Germany for Spurs’ last Champions League group game against Eintracht Frankfurt—a match Tottenham won 2-0, easing the pressure on boss Thomas Frank and booking a spot in the last 16. There’s hope Van de Ven could feature against Manchester City on Sunday, but Pedro Porro is definitely out for a month with a hamstring injury.
With so many defenders missing, Spurs had to line up with Romero and Kevin Danso in the middle, flanked by Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie in that win over Frankfurt. Still, Frank will take heart from another Champions League clean sheet.
Romero got plenty of praise after that game—not just for his defending, but for setting up Randal Kolo Muani’s goal. On Match of the Day, Stephen Warnock said, “They were clinical, and that’s what you want away from home. Kolo Muani did exactly what you need from your striker in the box. Credit to Romero—he’s a real threat on set pieces. That back-post header was clever. He put it right where his striker needed it. Bit of a scruffy finish, but nobody cares when it ends up in the net.”
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
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