Sources: Tottenham work on signing defenders to replace Romero & Van de Ven
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(Credit: Imago) Mon 23 February 2026 7:00, UK Tottenham are putting plans in place in case they lose both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven ahead of the summer transfer window.Spurs‘ precarious league position has led to a growing feeling that multiple first-team stars could be tempted to leave come the end of the season.Should Igor Tudor prove unable to lead them away from a relegation battle, and ultimately miss out on qualifying for Europe, clubs could look to exploit Spurs’ situation.As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Tottenham are now making plans in case their best players are lured away.Van de Ven and Romero have been tipped as two top players who could make the move, and alternative centre-back options are now being assessed behind the scenes.Read more: Tottenham’s stance on losing Romero has been revealed.Tottenham prepare for mass exodus after Cristian Romero newsBoth Romero and Van de Ven have been linked with some of Europe’s top clubs in recent weeks, with the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid keeping tabs on their situation. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Tottenham currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, just four points ahead of West Ham and 11 points shy of seventh place which would see them in the Conference League.The likely absence of European football is a major concern, and their transfer plans may now be impacted by which players they are likely to lose.Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Look, if Spurs are out of Europe and struggling, they’re going to find themselves more more susceptible to offers for their best players.“It’s going to be an interesting summer for Tottenham, let’s see where they are.“They’ll be desperate to get out of this relegation dogfight and improve their squad to avoid a similar situation in the coming seasons.“Let’s see if something happens with Romero and Van de Ven, if both of those players were to leave, obviously they will need to bring in replacements.Credit: Imago“I think they’ve been looking at some centre-backs who might be available.
Kim [Min-jae], I think, has got all the attributes to be a success in the Premier League.“It’s a tough deal to do, and there are a number of clubs who will be looking at Kim’s situation at Bayern, especially if he decides he wants to move on.“Read more: Spurs are willing to battle Chelsea to sign Kim Min-jae.Who is on Tottenham’s centre-back shortlist?A number of top-level centre-backs have emerged on Tottenham’s radar as the position has been flagged as a concern ahead of the summer transfer window.Football Insider revealed on 20 February that Tottenham are interested in Kim Min-jae in case he is allowed to leave Bayern Munich given his lack of playing time.Chelsea are also among the clubs linked with the South Korea international, who has been on the fringes of Vincent Kompany’s squad in recent weeks.Credit: ImagoThere is a belief that the South Korea international’s physical traits would make him a good fit for the Premier League, and an upgrade on their current options.However, missing out on European football could make it hard for Spurs to convince players to join, just as it will be hard to retain their star names.For more on Tottenham’s latest transfer plans, head to Tottenham News for expert insight.