Cristian Romero was set to be one of the protagonists of the summer. However, an injury has limited him in Copa America, and Atalanta rejected a bid for him from Manchester United. The Red Devils so far have decided not to raise it, Calciomercato.com reports.
The English club proposed €45M for the Argentinian defender in early June, but they quickly rejected it. The two sides have a strong relationship thanks to last season’s quick deal for Amad Diallo. However, things have been quiet over the last month due to the South American tournament and a physical problem.
Romero scored on his second appearance with the Albiceleste in June’s World Cup qualifiers. He sat out the first game of the group stage of the Copa, returned but then missed three matches in a row. Atalanta are worried about the handling of his hamstring issue, which looked mild at first.
The Orobici will have him on loan from Juventus for another campaign, but they were planning to pick up their €16M option early. They could consider selling him for €60M or more, but the suitors will have to step up. Manchester United are in the lead, but also Tottenham and Barcelona are also chasing after him. At this stage, nobody has come close to their asking price. He is more likely to stay put than to leave, the specialized site adds.
Moreover, Atalanta are having trouble finding a new defender. The Spurs are hijacking their pursuit of Takehiro Tomiyasu, for whom Bologna are driving a hard bargain. The Felsinei want €25M to sell the Japanese international.