​Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Cristian Romero looks increasingly likely to leave the club this summer, with Barcelona emerging as frontrunners to sign the Argentine defender.According to Gianluigi Longari, Tottenham have placed a €50 million (£42m) asking price on the experienced defender.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSerie A champions Inter Milan are also interested in Romero, but Tottenham’s asking price makes it difficult for the Italians to move forward with negotiations.Reports from Italy claim that Romero’s name came up during talks between Tottenham and Inter over a potential deal for right-back Djed Spence.Tottenham then took the opportunity to inform them that Romero is up for grabs. However, their asking price has forced Inter to explore other options.They’re unwilling to meet both Tottenham’s valuation and the player’s salary demands.But Inter’s reluctance to push forward works in Romero’s favour as it makes room for Barcelona to move to the front of the queue, which is believed to be the player’s preferred destination.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe La Liga champions have reportedly shown interest in strengthening their defence, and the Argentine would prefer a move to La Liga over a return to Italy.Romero still has three years remaining on the contract he signed with Tottenham in 2025, meaning the Premier League club are under no pressure to accept a lower offer.However, his rocky relationship with the club has made Tottenham desperate to get him off their books before the start of the new season, even if he’s admired by new manager Roberto De Zerbi.Tottenham have already invested in a new-look backline after bringing in Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi as centre-back reinforcements.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThose moves would suggest that Spurs are already planning for life without Romero. The 28-year-old joined Tottenham permanently from Atalanta in 2022 after an initial loan spell.Since arriving in north London, he has made 156 appearances and scored 13 goals. He also helped the club secure the Europa League title in the 2024/25 campaign.