Cristian Romero has received the armband, taking over as the club captain of Tottenham Hotspur.
They revealed their replacement for Son Heung-Min a week after the South Korean completed a switch to MLS side LAFC for a fee of over £20 million and called time on a decade of service.
Thomas Frank, the new manager of the team, had expressed that there would be news about the choice for the club captain on the day of the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.
It will be a tough trial for the Argentine, but the boss believes he is equipped to lead the group.
“He was very honoured and very happy about it. It’s a big thing and should be to lead this wonderful club out on the pitch, not just for this Super Cup, but also throughout the season.
“I think he has all the right qualities. He leads from his behaviour on the pitch, driving the team forward in every way, and outside the pitch he’s always pushing the team.”
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A man for the massive occasions
The Dane has also declared he will identify a four or five person leadership group at the end of the month to “give time to assess everything.” However, someone has to wear the armband tonight, and he has confidence that the 27-year-old will be the right person to perform this duty for the team.
In the long run, Romero has proven he is worth the outlay that it took to tempt him to North London.
He spent three seasons at Genoa and Atalanta in Italy before becoming one of the most expensive signings in Spurs’ history. After the activation of the option to bring in the defender for £42 million at the end of August 2022, only Richarlison and Tanguy Ndombele had cost the club more money.
He has played 124 times for the side, and has now hit a century of appearances in the English top tier.
The label of being a heavy-handed, rash player has blighted perceptions. It fit the bill for a club mired in a trophy drought that could not mimic the success he has helped drive with Argentina since 2021.
Time has told the truth. For two years with Ange Postecoglou, he thrived as a player and a leader.
The 27-year-old became one of the deputies to club captain Son with James Maddison, and he made an excellent start to the 2023/24 season. He struck up a partnership with Micky van de Ven, with both men being tasked to use their powers of recovery to be the backstop for a forward thinking approach.
Be it in the air or ball at his feet, Romero rarely fails to set the tone with his bravery and aggression.
Last term, he missed 21 matches with a hamstring injury. Yet, he was present for the crowning glory of the Europa League final, earning ‘Player of the Match’ in a disciplined 1-0 win over Manchester United.
That moment might have marked the right time to part ways with Spurs. The Argentine has two years left on the deal he signed in 2022, and over the summer, rumours have suggested he is interested in having the guarantee of Champions League football at clubs like Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid.
This move makes clear that Romero is staying put with Spurs, and the hard work begins in Udine.
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