Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is expected to be a key player for Roberto De Zerbi in the coming weeks.
The Italian needs his senior players to step up and deliver in the relegation battle. As club captain, the onus is on Romero in the upcoming weeks to return to his best.
However, during the international break, the Argentine emerged as a major talking point after a revelation about his release clause.
Romero’s dad confirmed that he could be sold for around £70m amid summer interest from a host of clubs across Europe.
And now, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has taken a brutal swipe at the Tottenham captain for allowing such comments to reach the mainstream media.
Scathing Romero claim emerges
Romero has struggled on and off the pitch this season. He looked a shadow of his former self under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, while he has also been vocal about the failures of the Tottenham hierarchy.
The Argentine’s dad has added fuel to the fire in recent weeks, dropping a major hint that his son could be on the move this summer.
And Crook believes such comments would not have gone public without Romero’s approval as he accused the Tottenham captain of adding to Roberto De Zerbi’s woes in the thick of the relegation battle.
“He’s part of the problem at Spurs,” said Crook via talkSPORT.
“I don’t think he’s a particularly good defender for someone who has won the biggest prize in football. This sums up the attitude of certain players in the dressing room.
“I don’t believe his dad would have leaked that information without Romero’s say-so. It’s an issue Roberto de Zerbi will have to tackle right from the off here. Awful timing from Romero – almost as bad timing as some of his tackles.”
Romero Sr. at fault here
The timing of his dad’s comments couldn’t have gotten any worse as Tottenham need to stay clear of drama and focus on getting points on the board.
Romero clearly cares about the club and wears his heart on his sleeve. However, transfer speculation on the club captain in the midst of a relegation battle is never a nice thing, more so with a new manager at the helm.
Read More: What the Tottenham players think about Roberto De Zerbi after first training session
De Zerbi is a fiery character in his own right and will need Romero to be at his best, so don’t be surprised if the pair have already spoken privately as speculation surrounding his future continues to dominate the back pages.
Romero returned to Tottenham training yesterday after being given an extended break alongside Pedro Porro.
Regardless of what happens in the summer, he is here now and could be integral to De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 set-up as a player and a leader.
