Robertson verbally agrees to join Tottenham on free transfer but deal hinges on survival
Andy Robertson has verbally agreed to join Tottenham on a free transfer this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, but the deal comes with one condition that neither side can control just yet: Spurs must stay in the Premier League.
Robertson confirmed on April 9 that he would leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season, drawing a line under a nine-year spell at Anfield that brought two Premier League titles, a Champions League, an FA Cup, two League Cups and a handful of other trophies. He made 373 appearances in a Liverpool shirt after arriving from Hull City for 8 million pounds in 2017.
Tottenham lead the race but relegation looms
Tottenham have been working on the deal for months. The groundwork was laid during the January window, when Liverpool explored the possibility of letting Robertson leave mid-season before deciding against it because of defensive injuries. Since then, talks have progressed to the point where all personal terms are in place, though nothing has been formally signed.
The sticking point is obvious. Tottenham sit 18th in the Premier League table, having dropped into the relegation zone after West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves on April 10. Roberto De Zerbi, appointed on March 31 after Igor Tudor's brief stint, has seven matches to keep the club up. The 32-year-old Robertson wants to play regular Premier League football, and if Spurs go down, the entire agreement falls apart.
Other clubs watching closely
Atletico Madrid tried to sign Robertson last summer and are expected to make another approach if the Tottenham move collapses. Juventus and Napoli have also been linked, and there would be no shortage of interest in a left-back of his experience and quality on a free transfer.
Robertson's final months at Anfield have been spent as a backup after Liverpool signed Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth for 40 million pounds last summer. The Hungarian quickly became Arne Slot's first-choice left-back, and Robertson's game time dropped sharply. He has started just nine league matches this season.
A Liverpool legend heads for the exit
In an interview with the club's website, Robertson described his time at Liverpool as "an amazing nine years" and said the club "means the world to me." Few would argue with that assessment. The Scotland captain was part of the squad that ended Liverpool's 30-year wait for a league title in 2020, and his partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold defined an era of full-back play in England.
His next chapter depends on what happens at the bottom of the Premier League over the next seven weeks. Robertson's preference is clear, but Tottenham's survival is far from certain.
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