adminA Sky Sports reporter didn’t hold back when addressing Cristian Romero’s final misstep before the Argentine’s move from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid was officially confirmed.
On Saturday morning, Tottenham announced that Romero, 28, had been sold to Atletico for €40 million, with a 15 percent sell-on clause included in the deal.
The centre-back spent his peak years in north London, though his time there was often turbulent, with a lingering sense that he took more pride in representing Argentina than he did in playing for Spurs.
On Friday night—more than 12 hours before the club made his departure official—Romero jumped the gun by announcing his exit on social media.
In his post, he wrote: “Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club. It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives. I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.
“When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club’s history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again. And we did it.
“The journey wasn’t perfect, but I don’t want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years.
“Thank you to everyone at the club who shared this journey with me. Coaches, teammates, staff and every person working behind the scenes—you are all part of my story and have a place in my heart.
“And to the fans: Thank you for loving me, respecting me and making me feel like one of you from day one. Thank you for every hug, every song, every flag, every applause and for always being there.
“I know I wasn’t perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart.
“THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
“I’m leaving the club, but a part of my heart will always remain here. Once I was one of you. Today, I leave as one of you forever. With all my love and respect. Thank you for everything. And goodbye.”
That premature announcement didn’t go down well with Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, who primarily covers Tottenham.
When asked on Sky Sports News whether Spurs fans would miss Romero, Bridge gave a blunt response: “No.
“Even announcing the move before the club have announced it—that’s Romero for you.
“On his day, he was one of the best centre-backs in the world, but those performances often came against Ecuador and Peru on international duty.
“There’s nothing wrong with being proud to represent your country, but too many times it felt like playing for Spurs was a chore.
“He made a few public comments about the board, which you just can’t do. He was a key part of winning the Europa League, but there was also that final-day saga over whether he’d watch his team try to avoid relegation.
“The time was right for him to leave.”
With Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi already signed earlier this summer, Spurs aren’t expected to pursue another centre-back in the final two weeks of the window.
Instead, their attention has turned to revamping the attack, with updates on moves for Cody Gakpo and Savinho below.
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