Cristian Romero has confirmed he is leaving Tottenham after five seasons at the club, with the Argentina international closing in on a reported transfer to Atletico Madrid.
The 28-year-old defender joined Spurs in 2021 and made 156 appearances for the club. He played a key role in Tottenham’s Europa League triumph in the 2024-25 season, when they won their first trophy in 17 years.
Romero’s departure brings an end to a spell in which he became one of Tottenham’s most influential defenders. Since making his debut for the club, he has won more duels than any other Spurs defender, with 873.
He also leads Tottenham defenders for interceptions, with 223, and clearances, with 524. His 208 tackles rank second among the club’s defenders during that period.
Romero’s contribution has extended beyond his defensive work. Since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, only Gabriel Magalhaes, with 18 goals, and Virgil van Dijk, with 17, have scored more Premier League goals among defenders than Romero, who has found the net 11 times.
The defender missed the final stages of Tottenham’s campaign as the club battled relegation. He has now used social media to announce his farewell as he prepares for a move to Atleti.
“Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club,” the Argentina international said.
“It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives.
“I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.
“When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club’s history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again.”
And we did it.
Romero acknowledged that his time at Tottenham had not been without difficulties, but said he wanted his departure to be defined by the positive experiences he had shared with the club.
“The journey wasn’t perfect, but I don’t want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years.
“I know I wasn’t perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart.”
His exit comes after five seasons in north London, during which Tottenham ended a 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League in 2024-25. Romero’s next destination is expected to be Atletico Madrid, although the move was described as reported rather than confirmed.
