"Contacts have taken place" with Tottenham and an 'Akanji‑style' transfer has been mooted

Inter Milan are pressing ahead with their pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero in the summer transfer window.

The Serie A side are working on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but Spurs remain firm on a permanent transfer fee in the region of €60 million, and no agreement has been reached yet.

Inter have floated an “Akanji‑style” operation in which the purchase clause would be triggered under certain conditions. Teamtalk described this as a loan with a mandatory buy option, similar to the deal for Manuel Akanji, or a permanent transfer with bonuses.

Negotiations are still ongoing regarding the loan fee, the future purchase amount, and the terms that would activate the obligation.

Talks are underway; that's been acknowledged

Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio has publicly acknowledged the interest, telling Sky Italy something along the lines of:

“It’s definitely a deal we are trying to sign with the player and the club [Tottenham]. These things take some time, but there’s definitely interest. Let’s see.”

Contacts have taken place with both Romero’s representatives (his agent Ciro Palermo was reported in Milan) and Tottenham

Romero is under contract with Tottenham until 2029, giving the Premier League club strong leverage and making them reluctant to accept an uncertain structure.

Although the Argentine centre‑back is keen on a move to Inter, personal terms have not yet been settled. Inter are trying to lower the price to around €40 million, given Spurs’ resistance to the loan formula.

As ever, the Italian side are pleading poverty

Competition for Romero is not limited to Inter. Barcelona and Arsenal are also in the mix, while Chelsea’s interest has cooled following the completion of Maxence Lacroix’s transfer.

Napoli, meanwhile, view Romero as a potential target to reinforce their back line. As of July 2026, Tottenham are expected to consider offers close to €60 million, with talks ongoing, and Italian sources were optimistic that the week could prove decisive, though financial hurdles remained.