Tottenham: Injury alarm bells for Ange Postecolou after Cristian Romero admission with Argentina
Cristian Romero’s admission that he would “love” to go to the Olympics this summer with Argentina will have alarm bells ringing at Tottenham.
The World Cup-winning defender told Gaston Edul while away on international duty that he wanted to be available for the tournament, despite likely being involved in the Copa America as well with the senior side.
Romero, 25, told Edul, translated to English: “I have never played in the Olympic Games and I would love to. I am at the disposal of the Argentine National Team.”
That sort of workload would likely not please any club manager, but least of all Ange Postecoglou when the Australian has already had to navigate through an extensive injury crisis in defence at Spurs this season and Romero a vital part of his set up.
Tottenham injury record a concern with Cristian Romero
And with centre-back’s injury record since arriving at the club three summers’ ago spotty at best he would appear to be exactly the sort of player who the manager would most want to get at least some rest this summer.
The key central defender has already missed 23 Premier League games with seven separate problems in that time, before his regular disciplinary absences are factored in.
That number also doesn’t include one match missed early in his Spurs career thanks to Covid-19 or two games on the bench either side of it having missed one game with a knee injury.
According to Transfermarkt Romero missed a further 12 Premier League games in his debut (2021/22) Premier league campaign, consisting of nine out with a hamstring injury between November and January, and the final three games of the season out with a hip issue.
Transfermarkt records show the Tottenham defender then missed three more top flight outings early last season with an adductor injury, before he picked up another hamstring problem on Champions League duty in late October which saw him out until after the World Cup win with Argentina [Football London].
He again missed the final two games of the season after picking up another knock in the May defeat at Aston Villa [Standard].
While his availability hasn’t been quite as badly affected this term but he was once more out of action for another month in January, missing two Premier League outings during that span and helping spark Spurs into action to sign Radu Dragusin during the winter window [Daily Mail, 27 December].
Danger of Spurs absence increases with mammoth summer
All of which combines to suggest that the Spurs star is borderline injury-prone, and far from immune to fitness issues.
So with the Copa America running between mid-June and mid-July, with Argentina’s first game on 20 June, almost exactly a month after Spurs’ final Premier League game at Sheffield United on 19 May, there will be minimal time off before he is likely to join up with the national team.
Depending on how far the world-champions get the final will be held on 15 July, less than a week before the Olympic football tournament kicks off on 24 July [Sky Sports].
Assuming Romero making himself available does see him picked as one of the over-age players for the under-23s squad he could potentially remain at the Paris competition as far as August 10, with the new Premier League campaign then starting up again just a week later on 17 August.
It goes without saying that is an onerous schedule even if his nation doesn’t make it all the way either time, and even if he gets through all of it unscathed in the first instance his injury record suggests the dangers of breaking down during the slog of next season would be worryingly high.
Romero might not get another chance to be an Olympian so perhaps his hopes are understandable, but it would be no surprise if Postecoglou feels the exact opposite.
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