Barcelona To Rival Tottenham Hotspur For This Serie A Defender: Should Koeman Snap Him Up? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Football Italia claimed that Barcelona are set to rival Tottenham Hotspur for Juventus defender Cristian Romero who is currently playing on loan at Atalanta. It is understood that the Catalan club are prepared to launch a move for the Argentine international soon to bring him to the Nou Camp in this off-season (via Football Italia).

Romero’s Solid Campaign In Italian Football Last Season

Romero was a commanding figure at the heart of the Atalanta backline last season as he put in some solid displays while on loan at the Gewiss Stadium. The Argentine centre-half was involved in 42 matches for the Italian side in the previous campaign, netting three goals and providing five assists in the process across various competitions.

The 23-year-old proved his worth as an influential central defender by averaging 2.0 tackles, 3.1 interceptions and 2.2 clearances per 90 minutes in Serie A football. He even interchanged possession with his teammates quite well from the back after making 86.2% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).

Romero went on to win the Copa America with Argentina earlier this summer which goes to show just how much he has matured as a footballer. Hence, he could be a clever acquisition for the Catalans as long as they can land him for a reasonable fee during this summer transfer window.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – JULY 10: Cristian Romero of Argentina celebrates after winning the Final of Copa America Brazil 2021 ,during the Final Match between Brazil and Argentina at Maracana Stadium on July 10, 2021 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. MB Media SPO, SOC, FOI PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMBxMediax

Should Barca Snap Romero Up This Summer?

Romero loves a tackle on the defensive end of the pitch and can be a real nuisance for the opposition attackers because of his hunger to win the ball back for his team. He has got excellent defensive awareness that helps him clear his lines when required.

The Argentina international is a composed presence on the ball and excels at playing his way out from the back. Thus, he will fit into Barca’s style of possession-based football quite well if Ronald Koeman can win the race for his services this summer. The Cordoba-born central defender has even got the winning mindset to be a success story at the Nou Camp in the future.

At 23, Romero is only going to get better with each season, so the Catalan giants should think about snapping him up if they have enough funds available to pull off such a transfer ahead of the new campaign. The Argentine sensation will undeniably enhance the quality of Koeman’s first XI and could help Barca compete for some major silverware once again in the coming seasons. Furthermore, Romero could serve as an ideal long-term successor to Gerard Pique which should makes him a worthy target for the Catalan club.