Frank ‘to greenlight Romero exit’ after scenes in Tottenham win v Reading
Cristian Romero’s future at Tottenham remains uncertain despite Atletico Madrid’s change in stance.
Atletico have cooled their interest in Romero after flirting with the idea of bringing him to the Spanish capital, as the World Cup winner was deemed too expensive.
Thomas Frank was quick to compliment Romero’s attitude in training in his first press conference as Tottenham boss, but was not convincing in his response that the defender would stay.
Romero featured in Tottenham’s 2-0 victory against Reading on Saturday (19 July), which may have inadvertently pushed him closer to an exit from Spurs.
Luka Vuskovic steals the show at Reading
Tottenham fans were treated to a brilliant display from Mohammed Kudus in the second half against Reading, as he was involved in both goals and showcased his excellent dribbling abilities.
However, it was the performance of Luka Vuskovic that was the most encouraging, as the young defender registered a goal and an assist in his first performance in a Spurs shirt.
The centre-back was signed in September 2023, but had not yet played for the North Londoners after being required to wait until he had turned 18 to make the move to Tottenham.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Clean Sheets | Minutes Played |
| 2024/25 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2,965′ |
The highly-rated centre-back came on in the second half and won his header from a corner to give Will Lankshear an easy finish at the back post before sliding an excellent first-time finish off Kudus’ pass into the bottom corner to open his account for Spurs.
Vuskovic also made one crucial block off the line, as well as one clearance and one interception to help secure a clean sheet [Sofascore].
He was equally astute in possession, taking 27 touches and finding 89 per cent of his passes while playing alongside Micky van de Ven, in a performance which demonstrated he could be ready for first-team action next season.
The Croatia international stole the show, and his performance could allow Frank to greenlight Romero’s exit, safe in the knowledge that he has a supremely talented player to replace him on his hands.
Daniel Levy has a key role to play in Romero saga
Daniel Levy has had a bumpy relationship with Romero, who indirectly criticised the Spurs chairman for his lack of ambition in the transfer market.
However, one thing the 63-year-old is well known for is his unwillingness to be undercut in a deal, and his lofty valuation of the Argentine will have to be met.
With two years left on Romero’s contract, Levy holds all the cards and will want both a favourable deal and a replacement, such as Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi, in place before any exit would be sanctioned.
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