Cristian Romero has ignited controversy by travelling to Argentina just days before Tottenham Hotspur’s critical Premier League clash against Everton on Sunday, a match that could determine their top-flight status.
Spurs find themselves embroiled in a desperate relegation battle, sitting merely two points above 18th-placed West Ham following their 2-1 defeat by London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday.
Despite being sidelined with an injury and absent from the Stamford Bridge fixture, Romero had been lauded as a "great captain" by manager Roberto De Zerbi only a day earlier.
However, it has since emerged that the Argentine defender is back in his homeland, attending his boyhood club Belgrano, who are set to play River Plate in a title decider this weekend.
Belgrano’s official X account posted a video of Romero at their training ground on Thursday night, a move that has provoked significant anger among a disgruntled Spurs fanbase.
Supporters are increasingly fearful of a catastrophic relegation, which would mark the club’s first in 49 years.
While Romero was present for the Leeds fixture on 11 May, his potential absence from what is being dubbed the biggest Premier League match in Tottenham’s history could severely strain his relationship with the club’s faithful.
Romero has been at Spurs since 2021, initially joining on loan from Atalanta before making the transfer permanent the following year.
In total, he has made 156 appearances for Tottenham and played a key role in their run to Europa League glory last season under Ange Postecoglou.
He was handed the captain’s armband following the departure of Son Heung-min last summer, but has been unable to lead Tottenham away from a relegation dogfight this term.
Romero has featured in 23 Premier League games for Spurs this season, but the injury he picked up in De Zerbi’s first game last month has led to him missing the run-in.
And he is now not even going to be in the country for Tottenham’s final game of the season, with De Zerbi’s men realistically needing a point to ensure they remain in the Premier League.
Another defeat could spell disaster for Tottenham, as a West Ham victory over Leeds would then send them down to the Championship.