Arsenal face transfer setback as Tottenham talks stall
Arsenal are weighing up a £60m deal for a Premier League defender, but talks with Tottenham have stalled. The Gunners are interested in signing the player, but the north London club is not keen on selling.
What happened?
Cristian Romero's future at Tottenham is in doubt, with the club ready to move on from the Argentine defender. Romero has been given the green light to leave Tottenham for around £34m this summer, but his agent has reportedly been in talks with other clubs.
Why it matters for Arsenal
Arsenal will be without influential defender William Saliba due to a back injury, but they still have Gabriel Magalhaes, Piero Hincapie, and Cristhian Mosquera in their ranks. The Premier League champions got to where they were last season by having strength in depth, hence the links with a number of centre-halfs.
What comes next?
Arsenal are not giving up on Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, whose contract expires in 2028. The 28-year-old, who starred for England at this summer's World Cup, is said to have a price tag of around £60m which is not to Arsenal's liking. But if a window of opportunity opens later on in the window, the Gunners could be circling.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 1st in Premier League, 85 pts, 26W-7D-5L from 38 games, recent form WWWWW. Goals this season: 71 scored, 27 conceded (+44 goal difference). Lead at the top: 7 points clear of Manchester City. Last result: Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal (2026-05-24). Recent form (last 5): 5W-0D-0L (WWWWW, most recent first); on a 5-game winning run. Next fixture: vs Hull City (at home, 2026-11-07).
