The video with which Atlético de Madrid presented the arrival of Cuti Romero

Atlético de Madrid officially announced the signing of Argentine defender Cristian "Cuti" Romero following his medical examination, marking his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur for €40 million. The club welcomed him with a special presentation, which was shared on its social media platforms through a video featuring Romero dressed as a Formula 1 driver. In the clip, he wore a helmet adorned with the colors of the Argentine flag, a tracksuit bearing the club's stripes, and drove a race car marked with the number 1998, corresponding to his birth year. Romero’s addition aims to strengthen the defensive line of the team, which conceded 44 goals in the Spanish league last season, the highest total under the management of fellow Argentine Diego "Cholo" Simeone. The transfer came after Clement Lenglet left on loan to Benfica, with Atletico securing the deal despite interest shown by Inter Milan in the player. During his five-year tenure in English football, Romero made 123 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals and receiving 36 yellow cards along with four red cards. His playing style reportedly led to disciplinary issues during his time at Tottenham, including public disputes with the club's management and reports of interest from Arsenal, a traditional rival of the London-based team, according to ESPN. In addition to Romero, Atletico has signed two other center-backs, his countryman Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke. Romero's intense and physical style aligns well with Simeone's philosophy, though it differs from the approach followed by his former club in England. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid played a friendly match against Olympique de Marseille at the Vélodrome stadium as part of their preseason preparations. Under Simeone's guidance, the team secured a 2-1 victory, with goals coming from young players Rodrigo Mendoza and Carlos Martin. Igor Paixão scored for the French side. Romero spent five years in England Justin Setterfield - Getty Images Europe During the match, Argentine forward Julián Álvarez did not feature in the starting lineup and remained at the training facility in Majadahonda alongside Álex Baena, Juan Musso, Marcos Llorente, and injured Alexander Sorloth. Alvarez had an informal meeting with the coach in the dressing room to express his intention to move to Barcelona. Despite this request, the club's leadership, headed by Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, maintains its stance of not selling the player, citing the buyout clause of $500 million stipulated in his contract until 2030.