Tottenham Faces Major Changes as Romero Nears Inter Move and Sarr Seeks Exit

Tottenham’s rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi is gathering pace – and it now looks like it will come at a significant cost to the spine of the squad.

After clinging to their Premier League status on the final day, Spurs have spent the early weeks of the window trying to make sure they are nowhere near a relegation scrap again. Six signings are already through the door, over £200m has gone out, and the squad is being reshaped with a ruthless edge.

Now two key names want out.

Romero says yes to Inter

Cristian “Cuti” Romero, one of the most high-profile figures in the dressing room, is moving closer to the exit.

Inter Milan have pushed hard, and the pressure appears to be paying off. According to Corriere dello Sport, the Argentina international has given the green light to a move to San Siro, agreeing terms on a deal worth €5.5m per year through to 2031.

The Italian champions have, per the same report, reached an agreement with Spurs on a package worth €35m plus €5m in bonuses and have “verbally sealed” a three-way agreement involving club, player and intermediaries for the centre-back.

The sense of momentum around the deal tallies with Fabrizio Romano’s recent updates. Writing on X, he stated that Inter are “expected to make final decision soon” on Romero, before adding on his YouTube channel that clubs are circling and that he still expects the defender to leave Tottenham in this window.

Inter are not alone in admiring the 26-year-old, but they are the ones who have moved with conviction. For Spurs, the prospect of losing a starting centre-back in the same summer as a major overhaul is a significant call, yet it fits a broader pattern: nobody is truly safe if the right offer lands and the coaching staff believe they can retool.

Sarr pushed towards the exit

Romero is not the only one looking for the door.

Pape Matar Sarr, once viewed as one of the club’s brightest midfield prospects, is also now “looking to leave” Tottenham before the window closes, according to Football Insider. The Senegal international has slipped down the pecking order after the big-money arrivals of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United and Mateus Fernandes from West Ham.

De Zerbi has been backed heavily in midfield. Spurs have committed a total of £237m this summer, with Tonali and Fernandes joining Jan Paul van Hecke in a sizeable outlay, while Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have arrived on free transfers to add experience and depth.

The result is a crowded engine room, and Sarr can see the writing on the wall. At 23, he needs minutes. The report claims Tottenham are prepared to let him go if the right bid comes in, with De Zerbi said to be satisfied with his midfield options as things stand.

Aston Villa are among the clubs showing concrete interest and could move in the final month of the window. They are not alone, but their admiration underlines Sarr’s standing in the league: he may be surplus in north London, yet he remains an attractive proposition for ambitious sides looking to add energy and legs in the middle of the pitch.

Spurs’ high-wire rebuild

All of this unfolds against a backdrop of aggressive change.

Tottenham’s hierarchy are determined not to flirt with the drop again. The club’s recruitment has been bold, with the focus now turning towards adding attacking width. Manchester City’s Savinho and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo sit high on their list of targets as Spurs look to sharpen a forward line that too often misfired last season.

To fund and balance that push, outgoings are inevitable. Romero, attracting interest from multiple clubs and now seemingly on the brink of joining Inter, represents both a financial asset and a sporting gamble if he leaves. Sarr, younger and less established, is a different kind of decision: a promising player sacrificed to streamline a squad now stacked in his position.

The message from Tottenham is clear enough. Survival is not the benchmark anymore. With De Zerbi at the helm and a radically altered dressing room, they are betting that upheaval now will buy stability later.

Whether that bet pays off may depend on how well they replace the steel of Romero and the potential of Sarr in the weeks ahead.