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Cristian Romero has confirmed he has left Tottenham to join Atletico Madrid with an emotional message to fans. Cristian Romero has been heavily linked with an exit from Tottenham Hotspur throughout the summer window. Inter Milan were leading the race for his signature in recent weeks, but Atletico Madrid made a late swoop. Negotiations finally reached a decisive breakthrough earlier this week, with transfer news guru Fabrizio Romano giving the deal to Atletico Madrid his trademark “here we go”. The total package agreed between Spurs and Atletico Madrid for Cristian Romero is worth €40 million, including performance-based add-ons, with the North London club also securing a 15% sell-on clause. Tottenham had negotiated a similar €40m figure with Inter Milan, but the 2026 World Cup finalist failed to agree personal terms, paving the way for Atletico Madrid to seal the agreement. Cristian Romero issues farewell message to Tottenham fans Now, Romero has confirmed he has left Tottenham, acknowledging he “wasn’t perfect” but said the leaves with “a heart full of memories.” In a statement on his Instagram account (h/t Sky Sports) on Friday, he said: “Thank you to everyone at the club who shared this journey with me. Coaches, teammates, staff and every person working behind the scenes you are all part of my story and have a place in my heart. “And to the fans: Thank you for loving me, respecting me and making me feel like one of you from day one. Thank you for every hug, every song, every flag, every applause and for always being there. “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.” Romero’s mixed time at Spurs comes to an end Although the Argentina international divided opinion within the fanbase, he was notably named the Man of the Match in the 2025 Europa League final against Manchester United, bringing Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought to an end. Due to several suspensions and injury problems, the central defender managed to make only 156 appearances across five seasons in N17. Romero fired frequent sharp jabs at the board over a perceived lack of ambition during an injury-ravaged 2024-25 campaign for Spurs. He was critical of Spurs’ hierarchy several times before a knee injury in April saw his season end prematurely, with the club battling against relegation. The majority of the fanbase totally turned on the South American star when he was allowed to fly to Argentina to continue his rehabilitation. It sparked a backlash from fans, and even though the 28-year-old returned on time to watch his team register a 1-0 win over Everton, which secured survival on the final day, Roberto De Zerbi gave him his blessings to move on. Romero is finally set to fulfil his dream of playing in La Liga. He is set to work under his compatriot Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. We wish Romero all the best at Atletico!