The Tottenham Hotspur captain has caused plenty of anger among the fanbase after making the decision to fly to Argentina
Belgrano president Luis Artime has claimed Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is training with his boyhood club in Argentina amid Spurs fan anger that he is reportedly will be out of the country watching another game rather than Sunday's relegation decider against Everton.
The 28-year-old had been praised by Roberto De Zerbi on Monday for his influence in recent weeks, sitting in on team meetings while injured and coming into his office every morning to discuss the team.
"Cristian Romero is a big player, you know he is a big player, but he is an amazing guy because he has been a great captain in my time even though he didn’t play," the Italian told football.london. "We are talking by phone and when he stayed here, every morning he came in my office and he was inside of the season."
Argentinean media had claimed that Romero, who often uses the phrase 'All together always' to Spurs fans on social media, had initially put off his rehabilitation in his homeland in order to remain in London with his team-mates.
However, the Spurs centre-back is now back in Argentina with reports that he will watch his first club Belgrano in their Primera Division final against River Plate on Sunday rather than return home for Tottenham's huge do-or-die game against Everton which will decide whether they remain in the Premier League or not.
That has left Tottenham fans furious that the club captain, who signed a new contract last summer, has chosen to return to his homeland and watch another game of football rather than be with the team to support them in their 90 minutes of need.
Now Belgrano president Artime has given further details on Romero's involvement with his old club after they posted a clip of the defender carrying a bag of balls on to a training pitch.
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"Yesterday he was training and I told him I think he’s going to be the one who arrives at the World Cup in the best shape. I’ve seen him and he’s in great form. He’s going to arrive well-rested, ready to join the team at its peak,” he said in interview with TyC Sports, as relayed by Catamarc Actual and Sport Witness.
"The rest are still competing. They’re all coming off tough competitions. Cuti has had a month and a half or two months of rest, during which he’s preparing very well and will be one of the best. He’s already working with the ball. He came with the national team’s physio."
Artime also light-heartedly ruled out Romero's return to the club.
"If it were up to him, he’d want to come back now, but we don’t have that kind of money. Let them loan him to us for a year and pay his salary, ha," he said.