Has Cristian Romero played his last game for Tottenham Hotspur? There are many uncertainties engulfing Spurs at present, which won't even begin to find a resolution until they know which tier of English football they will play in next season.
The prospect of Tottenham's relegation from the Premier League is both unimaginable and becoming ever more real with each passing week. Conceding a 95th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion was another devastating blow in a dismal season that, combined with results elsewhere, leaves them two points adrift of safety with five games left.
New coach Roberto De Zerbi, presumably both encouraged by what he had seen and recognizing the need to lift a palpably fragile group, defiantly declared afterward that Spurs could not only stay up but win all five remaining games to do so emphatically.
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The run-in will demand everything from a beleaguered squad, but their captain will play no part. Romero sustained a season-ending knee injury in their 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on April 12, leaving the field in tears. Those tears may have been more for Argentina than for Spurs, given the FIFA World Cup is less than two months away and his participation is in doubt.
Tottenham supporters have become accustomed to Romero not being in the team, given the number of suspensions he has picked up during his five years at the club. Whatever the outcome of Spurs' battle against the drop without him, some fans may see it as the right time for the club and captain to go their separate ways.
So how did it come to this, and what does the future hold for Romero?
Part of the group?
De Zerbi attempted to foster a real spirit of togetherness in the buildup to facing Brighton. He effectively canceled a planned fan gathering to greet the team bus outside the stadium by insisting the players arrived earlier than usual.
Sources have told ESPN that it would have been considered a significant risk had midfielder James Maddison played any minutes against Brighton, but he was nevertheless named in the squad for the first time in 362 days following his anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last August.
Julien Laurens says relegation-threatened Spurs' next fixture league against Wolves is "the must of the must-wins."
Maddison's personality and leadership skills are valued by De Zerbi, and he was an animated presence throughout the game, while injured goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was also stationed just behind the substitutes. Rodrigo Bentancur played his first game since Jan. 7 and, when substituted on 67 minutes, he stayed in the dugout and regularly stood up shouting encouragement, just like others including Yves Bissouma.
Somewhere removed from all this was Romero. The 27-year-old was in the stadium but had taken up a seat high up in a box, TV cameras cutting to him when Xavi Simons scored to put Spurs 2-1 up with 13 minutes left and seemingly on course for victory.
It could be argued Romero was there showing support, but the optics of sitting away from the group at a time when De Zerbi was clearly trying to forge a closer bond are not positive.
A positive influence?
Thomas Frank, who began the season as Tottenham manager before being fired in February, made the decision to hand Romero the captaincy following Son Heung-Min's departure last summer. However, sources have told ESPN that it was not due to a ringing endorsement of the center back's leadership skills.
There has been an acknowledgment behind the scenes at Spurs that the current squad lacks strong characters able to set the right example -- it was partly for this reason they attempted to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool in January and did acquire Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid.
Romero has publicly criticized the club on two occasions this season. In January, after losing at AFC Bournemouth, he said that more people at Spurs should speak out because "they only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies." A month later, he described Spurs having just 11 players available for a 2-2 draw against Manchester City as "disgraceful." There will be many supporters who agree with the general sentiment -- that Spurs' poor recruitment over recent seasons has put them in their desperate position.
But Romero's actions undermine his words. February's dismissal at Manchester United was the sixth time that Romero has been sent off (including four straight red cards) in all competitions since making his debut in August 2021. That figure is higher than any other Premier League player during this period. Frank admitted his surprise at that fact when it was put to him after the game, but still Romero remained captain. He has also been booked 36 times in the Premier League -- a high for any defender -- and so often the mode of sanction is a reckless tackle or a loss of control.
The bans incurred from all of those cards have mounted up, contributing to Romero missing a lot of football for his club. Since his arrival in north London in August, 2021, Romero has missed 95 of Tottenham's 251 matches in all competitions (including 62 Premier League games) through illness, injury or suspension, meaning he has played in only 62% of Spurs' fixtures.
Sources have confirmed to ESPN reporting from elsewhere that Romero has also been late to training on at least one occasion this season. However, Romero has provided decisive interventions -- he scored last equalizers at Newcastle United and Burnley this season, and last term his performance in the Europa League final victory over Manchester United earned him the Player of the Match award. His replacement against Brighton, Kevin Danso, inadvertently reminded Spurs of the quality they are missing when his error in the box enabled Brighton to score their second equalizer and break Tottenham hearts (again).
The season-ending injury was also not Romero's fault. In fact, he was unceremoniously shoved by Brian Brobbey and collided into goalkeeper AntonÃn Kinsky as a result. Romero broke down in tears as he left the field. Will that be Romero's final moment on the pitch for Tottenham, regardless of whether they avoid relegation or not?
What does the future hold?
Romero is contracted to Tottenham until 2029. His father, Victor Romero, publicly claimed earlier this month that the deal contained a release clause of between $50 million and $70 million, depending on the club signing him. However, sources at Tottenham have strongly denied this is the case, insisting there is no automatic mechanism which can be triggered to complete a deal against Spurs' wishes.
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham would consider offers for Romero. Much will depend on De Zerbi's view of the player as well as, obviously, which league they are playing in next season.
Relegation from the Premier League would be an existential crisis for Spurs, who have not recorded a profit since 2019 and, according to finance experts Deloitte, have the seventh-highest wage bill in the division. Spurs would have to juggle reshaping a squad to secure immediate promotion from the Championship with balancing the books through player transfers and reducing costs.
Atlético Madrid were closely tracking Romero last year and may retain an interest, while sources say clubs in Italy and England are keeping tabs on the situation. There is a sense that a move may suit all parties as Spurs look to redefine themselves moving forward.
The prospect of Romero appearing in a Tottenham shirt again is -- like so much with the club at present -- firmly in the balance.
