Barcelona join race for Serie A defender - Reports

Barcelona have already made a couple of vital signings this summer but it doesn't look like they will hit the brakes anytime soon. The Blaugrana remain committed to adding more defensive strength to their ranks. This means fans can expect more players to head to the Camp Nou in the coming weeks.

Barcelona are ready to intercept Tottenham Hotspur’s attempts to sign Cristian Romero from Atalanta and create a bidding war https://t.co/sWuDh69GfQ #Atalanta #FCBarcelona #Tottenham #THFC #Argentina

— footballitalia (@footballitalia) July 27, 2021

According to reports, the Catalan giants have joined the race for the signature of Atalanta defender Christian Romero. The Argentine impressed in the Serie A last season and has emerged on the radar of many top clubs across the continent.

It has been stated that Tottenham Hotspur are currently leading the race to sign the defender, who is said to have agreed terms with the EPL giants. Spurs are determined to ward off Barca's interest to lure Romero to the Premier League next season.

🚨 NEW: Cristian Romero has told Atalanta that he wants to join Tottenham - and has asked them to agree a transfer as soon as possible. [90min] pic.twitter.com/L6KEMtnArn

— The Spurs Web ⚪️ (@thespursweb) July 27, 2021

For some reason, Barcelona's chances of sealing the transfer look very slim. The most decisive factor is the terrible economic situation of the club at the moment. All three signings (excluding Emerson who was on loan at Betis) arrived as free agents as Blaugrana couldn't afford to splash any cash.

Romero is said to be valued at around £50 million by Atalanta, a figure that is well above Barca's reach in the current circumstances.

The defender impressed in the Serie A last term.

Barcelona struggling to register Messi: another stumbling block

Barcelona also risk losing Lionel Messi this summer. The Argentine became a free agent at the end of last season. Although they have reportedly reached a 5-year agreement with the playmaker, they still can't register him until they lower their wage bill by selling some of their highest-paid players.

With the Catalan giants still struggling to make ends meet with regards to Leo's status at the club, it's highly unlikely that they would place an extra burden on themselves with their pursuit of Romero.

For any deal to take place, the Blaugrana would need to generate revenue by selling some of their deadwood and cutting their wage bill significantly. Should Atalanta also pick up an interest in some of Barcelona's most wanted-away stars, a swap deal could then be feasible.