The interest in Cristian Romero is strong. According to Spanish newspaper Sport, a new club has already “contacted” the Tottenham captain ahead of the summer transfer window. – It is still not okay to behave badly!
Read: Tottenham captain skips Premier League last and decisive game of the season
Cristian Romero has shown his true self – much to the frustration of Tottenham fans.
Spurs absolutely need everyone on board on Sunday. Everyone has to pull in the same direction in what Roberto De Zerbi himself has described as a bigger game than last year’s Europa League final victory.
And he is not wrong.
De Zerbi said: “Sunday is the final for Tottenham. Not Bilbao against Manchester United. The most important game is Sunday.
“Now we’re playing for something bigger than a trophy. This is about the club’s pride and history. You can win one trophy, and then you have another trophy – but this is more important. This is about dignity.”
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Tottenham are fighting for their lives in the Premier League
Tottenham have been a top division team since 1978. They are one of the founders of the Premier League and part of the so-called “big six”.
But if they lose to Everton on Sunday, and West Ham beat Leeds United at the same time, Spurs will be relegated to the Championship.
There are nine different scenarios for the two decisive games on the final day of the season. Only in one of them does Tottenham go down. It is thus in their own hands to get out of the mess they have dug themselves into.
Players can’t be blamed for everything. Big questions will have to be asked of those in power behind the scenes this summer, and protests against the ownership are planned after the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – no matter what the outcome is.
But the players must take responsibility on Sunday at 16:00. They have to finish the job, no matter what the cost.
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The Captain Who Disappears
Romero may be injured and unable to contribute on the pitch. But the manager, the club captain, the man the whole squad looks up to – he should have been with his teammates and suffered with them. He should have kicked every ball, raised every header and won every tackle with them – from the sidelines. But he won’t.
Why not? Because he is abroad. He is in his native Argentina to watch his childhood club Belgrano play their last game of the season against River Plate.
It’s a big game for them – the final of the Argentine Primera División. But the club he plays for now, the club that pays his salary, the club that gave him the great honour of becoming club captain – that club is also playing a huge game, with desperate consequences.
That he will not be in North London on Sunday is completely shameful.
“The tears were selfish”
De Zerbi says he “100 percent” understands the frustration of fans that Romero will not be present. But he also says that the Argentine “has been correct with me from day one”.
When Romero walked off the pitch in tears in the game against Sunderland – the injury that ended his season – I cynically thought that the tears were selfish, and that they weren’t for Tottenham. I thought he was sad because he might miss the World Cup. Turns out I was right.
If Romero cared about the club, he would be here on Sunday. Everyone knows how important this fight is.
Summer sales are already underway
There is a widespread belief that he will disappear this summer. A kind of gentleman’s agreement, if you will – that he is allowed to leave if a sufficient bid comes in. Somewhere in the range of 50 to 60 million pounds should hold.
He is clearly a hugely talented player – a world champion, none the other. But as everyone has seen, he can also be a risk at times. Selling him for a good sum is the right move for all parties.
Spurs will do without him, and probably get better from it. He has played his last game for the club – but he is not the only one.
Eight players have to go
De Zerbi needs a complete clean-up and renewal this summer. More people have to follow Romero out the door.
Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma have already played their last few games for the club. Their contracts expire in the summer, and none of them will play on Sunday.
Guglielmo Vicario has also probably played his last game. It would be a surprise if he replaces Antonin Kinsky in the last game of the season.
Radu Drăgușin has to go. He is not up to scratch and will be replaced this summer. Pape Matar Sarr should probably also go – for his own sake.
It’s also time for Richarlison to leave. Hopefully, he will first do what he is so good at – scoring against Sunday’s opponents Everton, as he has done before, and save Tottenham from the brink of humiliation.
João Palhinha has been up and down. De Zerbi has admitted that he wants to sign him permanently, but I’m not so sure he’s worth the money – especially with Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall in line. And don’t get me started on the other loan player, Randal Kolo Muani… His time should have been up several weeks ago.
Romero has to go. Thank you for everything you’ve done – but you’ve tarnished your own reputation right at the end. And eight players must follow him out the door – and never play for Spurs again.
