Cristian Romero has revealed that Lionel Messi wanted him to join Barcelona before he completed his switch to Tottenham Hotspur.
Cristian Romero is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe at the moment and he was rightly one of the most sought-after players in the summer transfer window before he joined Tottenham Hotspur in a €55 million deal.
While the Argentine is yet to make his breakthrough at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he is still regarded as a solid acquisition for the Premier League heavyweights. However, he could well have been on his way to Barcelona, if a certain Lionel Messi had his way.
Back when Messi was still looking likely to sign a new deal with Barcelona, he was insistent that the 23-year-old joined the Catalan giants. However, now, Messi is no longer at Barcelona after making his way to Paris Saint-Germain while Romero is a Tottenham Hotspur player. The Argentine, though, has revealed that Messi did want him at Barcelona.
In an interview with Radio AM 550, as relayed by MARCA, Romero said, “The fact that Messi would want me in his team, and that he wanted me to come to Barcelona is amazing. The team that PSG have built is crazy. I’m a bit sad about how Leo left Barcelona, I thought he would have stayed there forever.”
“I wish him all the best, he’s a great person and hopefully he can win everything alongside the other Argentinians there. I’m thankful to Messi and for everything that I shared with him and the rest of the national team. From the first day the group made me feel like I’d been there for years. That’s just the kind of group it is there.”
Romero was indeed linked heavily with Barcelona before the move to Tottenham came to fruition. However, considering Barcelona’s dire financial condition, it is unlikely that they would have been able to afford his €55 million valuation anyway.
The Blaugrana’s loss ended up being Tottenham gain, while Messi himself is not a part of the Catalan club anymore. Nevertheless, Barcelona remain in the market for a centre-back, as they look to offload Samuel Umtiti before the summer transfer window slams shut.
