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Atletico Madrid are getting ready to make their first bid for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero, putting Inter Milan's hopes of signing the centre-back under major pressure. The Argentina international has emerged as the focus of an intense transfer tussle, with the Spanish club prepared to test Spurs' resolve through a sizeable opening proposal.

Atletico are pushing with clear intent to bring Romero to the club, with manager Diego Simeone a long-time admirer of the defender. According to Marca, the club hierarchy are currently working on an initial offer to Tottenham worth around €30 million, as they look to finally sign a player they have tracked across several transfer windows.

The current financial situation at the Metropolitano means Atletico must follow a "one in, one out" approach to stay balanced. Possible exits for Ruggeri to Aston Villa and Nahuel Molina to Roma are viewed as necessary before any formal move can be completed. Those departures would not only generate the funds needed for the transfer fee, but would also ease the wage bill enough for Atletico to absorb Romero's significant salary.

Even as Atletico step up their pursuit, they are not the only club in the race for the highly rated central defender. Inter have already shown their intent with a firm offer of €35 million plus a further €5 million in performance-related add-ons. That places the Italian champions slightly ahead when it comes to the initial financial package put to the North London side. Even so, Atletico appear to hold an important edge: the player's own preference. Romero is said to have made it known that he would rather move to the Spanish capital than return to Serie A, where he previously impressed for Atalanta and Genoa before his switch to the Premier League.

The prospect of playing under Simeone remains a major factor for the Argentina international. People close to the player say he has never concealed his wish to work with his fellow countryman, and that he even voiced that feeling during Champions League meetings last season. In order to help make a move to Spain possible, Romero is also believed to have inserted a specific clause into his recent Tottenham contract extension, which runs until 2029, designed to make a transfer easier if one of Spain's biggest clubs came in for him.

Tottenham seem more open to talks this summer than they were in previous years. While the London club had earlier stood firm on a fee above €55 million, they are now understood to be willing to consider offers beginning at around €40 million. That change in asking price has encouraged Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany to start putting together a clear plan to complete the transfer.

The talks are expected to be sensitive, with Tottenham having a reputation for being difficult negotiators. However, pressure from the player's camp and the rivalry between Inter and Atletico could speed up the process.

Alemany is now handling the final stages of the outgoing deals that would pave the way for Atletico's official bid for Romero. The club feel the cycle of defender Jose Maria Gimenez could be approaching its end, which makes the arrival of a top-level replacement even more important. Romero is regarded as an ideal figure to lead a reshaped defence, bringing the aggression, leadership and technical ability that Simeone demands from his centre-backs. The coming days are expected to be decisive as the departures of Molina and Ruggeri move closer to completion, potentially giving Alemany the financial go-ahead to submit a formal offer to Tottenham.