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Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Joao Pedro latest, Mateus Fernandes talks, Real Madrid meeting
22 Jun 2026 07:56 BST |
7 min read
News
Football news expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on several major transfer stories, including the latest on Joao Pedro, Mateus Fernandes and Nico Paz.
Nico Paz latest
Real Madrid have been widely tipped to activate their buy-back clause on Nico Paz, but a final decision on the future of the Como superstar hasn’t yet been made.
This has been confirmed by Romano, who told his YouTube channel: “Real Madrid are not done in the transfer market after the arrivals of Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva. However, as I have been reporting throughout the week, before adding more players, especially in midfield, the club wants to clarify several departures.
“New contacts are expected with Dani Ceballos, who is set to leave the club as a free agent. Real Madrid do not want a transfer fee from the deal. Their priority is simply to create space in the squad for new midfield additions.
Current ETV
Nico Paz
AM, M (C)
Como
Nico Paz
AM, M (C)
Como
ETV Range
€58.1M - €71M
“The situation involving Nico Paz is also one to watch closely. A face-to-face meeting between Como and Real Madrid is scheduled to take place in Madrid this week. This meeting will be crucial in determining the direction of the deal.
“Real Madrid want to restructure the agreement in order to buy back the player and potentially sell him to Como under a new arrangement. Como, meanwhile, want to maintain the current structure, with the player remaining at the club and Real Madrid retaining a buy-back clause until 2027.
“This is the key difference between the two parties. They must find a solution, otherwise new scenarios could emerge regarding the future of the Argentine midfielder.
“It is important to remember that Nico Paz's future is entirely in the hands of Real Madrid. The player has already signed a contract with the Spanish club, meaning Real Madrid will decide the next step before anyone else. We are now waiting for this meeting with Como, which is expected to be an important development.”
Alejandro Grimaldo to join Atletico Madrid
After missing out on the aforementioned Cucurella to Real Madrid, Atleti have acted quickly and a deal is now in place to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Alejandro Grimaldo.
“I expect busy days for Atletico Madrid as well. The club have completed an agreement with Alejandro Grimaldo,” Romano said.
“My understanding is that the Spanish left-back, currently at Bayer Leverkusen, has informed the German club of his desire to leave. Grimaldo has made it clear, in a respectful and professional manner, that he wants to join Atletico Madrid.
“The agreement with the player is now complete. Club-to-club negotiations are the next step. Bayer Leverkusen are starting from a valuation of around €30 million, while Atletico Madrid hope to bring the fee closer to €24-25 million.
“The two clubs will need to find common ground in order to finalise the transfer, but the agreement with the player is already in place. Grimaldo is expected to become Atletico Madrid's preferred solution at left-back following Real Madrid's move for Marc Cucurella.”
In addition, Romano added: “At the same time, Atletico Madrid have also reached an agreement on personal terms with Kang-in Lee. The South Korean international is a player they have wanted for a long time.
“Negotiations have been ongoing for several months. The player also received interest from Premier League clubs, but he is very keen on a move to Madrid, a return to La Liga and the opportunity to work under Diego Simeone.
“Discussions between Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are now continuing in an effort to reach a full agreement. This is another situation worth monitoring closely, as Atletico remain extremely active in the market.”
Julian Alvarez update
Julian Alvarez is expected to leave Atletico Madrid this summer, but his current employers remain determined to retain his services for at least another season.
“Atletico Madrid continue to maintain the same position regarding Julian Alvarez, both publicly and privately. They do not want to sell the player and intend to continue building with him as part of their project,” Romano confirmed.
“At the same time, Barcelona continue to discuss Alvarez internally in virtually every recruitment meeting. Despite having an opening bid worth €100 million rejected several weeks ago, Barcelona have not given up.
“Real Madrid also submitted an official offer worth €150 million, which was followed by an official statement from Atletico Madrid. Since then, Real Madrid have not returned with a new approach.
“Barcelona, however, remain hopeful. They continue working on the player side of the deal while waiting to understand whether Atletico Madrid might eventually soften their position.”
Romano continued: “This determination is reflected in Barcelona's lack of progress on alternative striker targets. Earlier in the transfer window there were stories involving João Pedro, but the Brazilian is staying at Chelsea and is not for sale.
“Barcelona have not returned for Joao Pedro, not only because Chelsea's position is clear, but also because their priority remains Julian Alvarez. The outcome of this situation depends entirely on Atletico Madrid.”
Lucas Bergvall wants to leave Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall has informed the club of his desire to leave this summer amid concerns over his potential game time under Roberto De Zerbi.
“Tottenham Hotspur remain busy with several midfield situations. In addition to the ongoing pursuit of Sandro Tonali, the club are now prepared to consider offers for Lucas Bergvall,” Romano said.
“The 20-year-old Swedish midfielder has informed Tottenham, through his representatives, that he would like to explore a new chapter in his career. This decision is not related to unhappiness at the club. Bergvall remains convinced that joining Tottenham was the correct choice. There was strong competition from Barcelona when he made that decision, but he has no regrets.
“However, with Tottenham pursuing Sandro Tonali and looking to strengthen further in midfield, Bergvall feels his opportunities for regular development and playing time could become limited under Roberto De Zerbi.
“A fee in the region of £45-50 million could be enough to complete a transfer. Several clubs are already monitoring the situation closely.
“Brighton continue discussions regarding Luka Vuskovic, but Lucas Bergvall is another name attracting significant interest this summer. There could be movement on this story in the coming weeks.”
Mateus Fernandes battle
West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes is set to leave the club before the start of next season and several top clubs are battling for his signature.
“According to my information, Tottenham are in discussions with the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, and are pushing to reach an agreement on personal terms. However, nothing has been finalised and nothing is guaranteed at this stage,” Romano revealed.
“More conversations are expected between Tottenham and the player's representatives. At the same time, Manchester United remain heavily involved.
“Man Utd have already discussed Fernandes with West Ham and are also working on the player side of the negotiations through the agent. They remain firmly in the race.
“In addition, Fernandes has been identified by Jose Mourinho as one of the midfield options under consideration should his club decide to make another addition in that position.
“This is why the situation requires careful monitoring. The feeling around the deal is that the club capable of presenting the strongest proposal to West Ham will ultimately be best placed to secure the transfer.
STATS
Mateus Fernandes
M (C)
West Ham
Mateus Fernandes
M (C)
West Ham
“West Ham's valuation starts at around £85 million and could increase further as more clubs enter the race. The club submitting the most convincing offer will likely gain the advantage in negotiations with both West Ham and the player.
“That is currently the key factor in understanding the future of Fernandes. It remains a fascinating story to follow, with Tottenham and Man Utd both actively involved, while Real Madrid continue assessing their own midfield plans as they await departures.”
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