Tottenham bids farewell to its captain after five tumultuous years
So, there you have it. The Cristian Romero era is in the books.
It certainly wasn't without incident, and there was one glorious night in Bilbao that meant, even if only briefly, the Argentine's north London legacy was as lofty as any Tottenham centre-back to come before him.
Romero did much to tarnish his standing among Lilywhite supporters in the 12 months that followed, culminating in his reported openness to join bitter rivals Arsenal. The club ensured that there would be no Sol Campbell 2.0, but Romero's intrigue was enough to irk supporters.
Pre-treachery, Romero embarked on a bitterly disappointing campaign as club captain, having been regarded as the obvious appointment in the wake of Spurs' Europa League triumph. The 2022 World Cup winner played a pivotal role in our continental success, donning the armband during the latter stages, but allowed bad habits to resurface during his year as skipper.
As a result, Romero departs for Atlético Madrid with a confused and conflicted Lilywhite legacy.
Cristian Romero seals Tottenham departure after five chaotic years
Romero's social media farewell was nicely crafted, depicting a player who genuinely loved this football club and wanted what was best for it. Sometimes, though, he had a funny way of showing it.
Suspensions and injuries plagued periods of his Spurs career, while lapses in concentration and his indiscipline were pounced upon by prominent analysts like Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, shaping public opinion. On his day, there are few defenders more imperiously dominant, not to mention his outstanding ability as a passer.
Spurs supporters fought Romero's corner for half a decade, promising naysayers that the general consensus surrounding our manic Argentinian was erroneous. He certainly mellowed out for a while after a kamikaze beginning to his Premier League career, but those who never held Romero in such a lofty regard felt proven right after his tumultuous final season on English shores.
While Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham would doubtless be better if a fit and focused Romero were on the club's books, it feels like the right time to move on. The defender has known for some time that 2025/26 would be his last in N17, and he's heading to an environment that should suit him down to the ground.
Diego Simeone hasn't had a defender so talented since the days of Diego Godin. The Atlético Madrid manager has previously said he's a "big fan" of Romero's, and Atléti must feel as if they're snagging Spurs' captain at a bargain rate (€40m).
It's a match made in heaven, with the 28-year-old finally getting his wish of playing in Spain. Romero's undeniable talent has taken him to three of Europe's premier divisions, and he's now Atléti's walking contradiction.
